Newcastle United and West Ham United can sign Angers midfielder Azzedine Ounahi for around €20 million.
According to a report from Fichajes, Newcastle United and West Ham United are looking to sign Azzedine Ounahi after his exploits at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. And they will have to pay a fee of around €20 million to sign the 22-year-old central midfielder.
Ounahi has been a key player for Angers this season, and he carried his form into the World Cup as well. The young midfielder impressed with his performances for Morocco, and helped his country reach the semi-finals of the tournament.
The reported €20 million asking price seems quite reasonable for a player of his quality and potential. He could end up justifying the outlay in the long run. And his performances have captured the attention of Newcastle United and West Ham United.
Newcastle and West Ham certainly have the financial means to pay the reported €20 million asking price. And it remains to be seen where the player ends up.
Newcastle could certainly use more creativity in the central midfield, and Ounahi would be an upgrade on players like Jonjo Shelvey. He will add craft and technical ability in the middle of the park. Furthermore, the 22-year-old World Cup hero is a hard-working player who will help out defensively as well.
On the other hand, West Ham have been quite mediocre this season and need to add more quality to their squad to turn things around during the second half of the season. The Hammers could use a midfielder like Ounahi in their ranks, and the 22-year-old would be the ideal partner for players like Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek, who are more conservative in their approach.
Ounahi could be the link between the midfield and the attack for the Hammers and help them improve in the attacking half. So the interest from West Ham in the World Cup hero makes a world of sense.
Newcastle are one of the richest clubs in the world and have an ambitious project. The Magpies are third in the Premier League table and could end up securing Champions League qualification this season. The opportunity to join them is likely to be an attractive proposition for Ounahi. And it will not be surprising if Newcastle have an edge over West Ham in the race.
