Barcelona Pursue Azzedine Ounahi After De Jong Injury

Barcelona have turned back to a familiar name in their search for midfield cover: Azzedine Ounahi.

The Girona midfielder, one of Morocco’s standout performers on the international stage, is once again on the Catalan club’s radar during this summer’s transfer window. Spanish programme "El Chiringuito" reports that Barça are actively weighing up a move as they scramble to reinforce a midfield suddenly stripped of stability by Frenkie de Jong’s injury.

De Jong’s absence has opened a gap that cannot be ignored. Barcelona need legs, craft and personality in the middle of the pitch, and Ounahi offers all three. His stock has soared since his performances with the Atlas Lions, where he drove Morocco to the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup, adding another chapter to a reputation first forged on the global stage in 2022.

Back then, after his breakout at the 2022 World Cup, Barcelona were already circling. The fit looked obvious: a technically gifted, press-resistant midfielder with the courage to demand the ball under pressure. Talks never turned into a completed deal, and the move collapsed before it truly took shape.

Now the story is back on the table.

Ounahi’s situation at Girona is attracting heavy interest. Several clubs are in the chase this summer, sensing an opportunity to secure a midfielder who has already proved he can dictate games at the highest level. For all the noise, the player has not yet committed to his next step. His future remains open, his decision still pending.

Barcelona, though, know this type of window rarely stays open for long. If they truly want Ounahi this time, they may have to move with the decisiveness that was missing two years ago.