Zakaria Aboukhlal: "I am open to a return to the Netherlands"

The story between Zakaria Aboukhlal and Toulouse FC is coming to an end. Three years after arriving from AZ Alkmaar, the Moroccan forward has confirmed that he is looking to take the next step in his career.

It was on a podcast for Ziggo Sport that Zakaria Aboukhlal made it clear his departure from Toulouse now seems inevitable:

I've been at Toulouse for three years now. The first season was excellent. The second, I was injured. This season was good, but now, I'm ready to take a real step forward and embrace a new challenge.

At 25, Zakaria Aboukhlal is aiming higher. Despite a season disrupted by injuries, the former AZ player hasn't lost an ounce of ambition. With 25 goals scored in the purple shirt and a market value estimated at €12 million, TFC could look to cash in on him this summer before he enters the final year of his contract.

For now, no club has made an official move. But Aboukhlal is keeping all his options open. And among them, a return to the Netherlands—the country where he began his career—cannot be ruled out. He even mentioned PSV Eindhoven, where he developed as a youth player:

I'm not ruling anything out. I want to play at the highest level possible. In the Netherlands, there are clubs that play in the Champions League, so I'm open to that. When I was a youngster, I had a wonderful time at PSV. It's a club I know well, very warm. I truly felt at home there.

Between European ambition, personal attachment, and a financial opportunity for Toulouse, the Aboukhlal saga is only just beginning.

Aliou Toundé |

Editorfr