U-17 AFCON: Morocco’s Young Talents on Radar of Europe’s Elite Clubs

Following Morocco’s 1st ever U17 Africa Cup of Nations title, global football scouts are circling the North African champions with Real Madrid, Manchester City and Chelsea leading the chase for three standout talents.

According to Asharq Sports, the tournament held in Morocco between 30 Mar & 19 Apr, drew interest from over 200 scouts, representing top clubs across europe.

Morocco clinched the title after beating Mali on penalties (4 - 2) in the final becoming the 10th nation to win the tournament and only the second Arab country after egypt to do so.

The Trio Turning Heads:

• Abdellah Ouazzane (Ajax Amsterdam)

Voted Player of the Tournament, the midfield maestro's attracting serious interest from Real Madrid. Ajax, however are keen to renew his contract and delay any sale until summer 2026.

• Ziyad Baha (Real Betis)

A versatile and dynamic striker, he’s firmly on Man City’s radar after string of impressive displays.

• Ilyas Belmakhtar (AS Monaco)

The creative midfielder's caught the eye of Chelsea who are monitoring his situation closely.

Transfer Talks Heating Up

With the trio’s market value surging after the tournament, their current clubs are demanding higher transfer fees amid growing competition.

The CAF report confirming the presence of nearly 200 scouts at the tournament underlines the growing reputation of african youth competitions as fertile ground for discovering world class talents.

Khaled Hegazy |

Editorar, en

Journaliste sportif spécialisé dans la couverture du football et la création de contenu numérique, alliant expérience éditoriale et expertise des médias sociaux.