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FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 19: Neil El Aynaoui #24 of Morocco celebrates after the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group C match between Scotland and Morocco at Boston Stadium on June 19, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Mark Smith/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images) | ISI Photos via Getty Images
While most of our Financial Fair Play-related stressors have revolved around the futures of key players like Manu Koné, Evan Ndicka, and Matías Soulé, we may need to add a new name to that list. Neil El Aynaoui may have had an up-and-down debut season with Roma, but his talent was never in question.
However, thanks to his penchant for playing well at major international tournaments, the soon-to-be 25-year-old Moroccan midfielder is drawing rave reviews across the continent. According to Spanish outlet El Nacional, El Aynaoui is attracting interest from the titans of Iberian football: Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Earlier this week, El Aynaoui’s father, Younes, a former top-20 tennis player, shed light on his son’s youthful allegiances, saying, “My son is a Barcelona fan; he lived there until he was 11 years old. He would be the happiest person in the world if he could play there one day.”
If this all smacks of déjà vu, don’t fret; we experienced nearly the same thing with Justin Kluivert and his father, both of whom were more than happy to share their Barcelona dreams. El Aynaoui’s talent and childhood dreams aside, his sale alone can’t slay Roma’s FFP beast; he’s a talented player but wouldn’t fetch the same return as Koné, Soulé, or Ndicka.
After years of dwelling in 6th-place mediocrity with few, if any, marketable talents, Roma’s stock is on the rise again. As potentially upsetting as these rumors are, it’s nice to feel wanted again, isn’t it?
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