Mohamed Ouahbi steps up Morocco’s dual-nationality drive with Netherlands and Germany visits

Mohamed Ouahbi is set to meet several eligible dual nationals during a European tour, including Feyenoord forward Shaqueel van Persie, as the Morocco manager considers additions to his squad.

Ouahbi is reportedly in the Netherlands, where his main focus is Ajax teenager Abdellah Ouazane. The 17-year-old has already made seven appearances for the Amsterdam club this season, starting three matches and contributing one goal and three assists.

According to the Moroccan newspaper Assabah, Ouazane’s impressive early performances have made him a priority for Ouahbi, who leads the Atlas Lions.

The Morocco manager must decide whether to call up the midfielder for the opening matches of the Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifying campaign. Morocco are due to face Gabon and Lesotho on 25 and 29 September respectively.

Ouahbi is also expected to hold talks with Shaqueel van Persie during his time in the Netherlands. The 19-year-old striker is the son of former Netherlands and Arsenal forward Robin van Persie.

The purpose of the meeting will be to persuade Shaqueel van Persie to represent Morocco, potentially as early as the next international window. He is eligible for both Morocco, through his mother, and the Netherlands, but has yet to make a final decision.

At the end of July, van Persie denied reports that he had already chosen Morocco. He said he would make a decision “si l’occasion se presente” – “if the opportunity arises”.

Ouahbi is then expected to travel to Germany to watch two more players: Younes Ebnoutalib of Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Wael Mohya.

Ebnoutalib, who is 22 and stands 1.91m tall, offers the physical presence to act as a focal point in Ouahbi’s system. The striker has previously been pre-selected for Morocco’s under-15 side.

Morocco also have another option in attack after Ismael Saibari’s deployment as a false nine proved highly successful at the 2026 World Cup. However, Ebnoutalib’s profile could provide a different option for the national team.

Mohya, meanwhile, is an attacking midfielder who has progressed through Germany’s youth national teams from under-16 to under-18 level. He played the full match for Borussia Monchengladbach in the German Cup on Sunday and scored in a 5-0 victory over Schott Mainz.

The visits form part of Ouahbi’s wider plan to recruit eligible dual nationals and strengthen the Morocco squad. Assabah reports that several players from the 2026 World Cup squad could be at risk of losing their places in the next selection after being displaced from starting roles at their clubs.

Players who have not fully recovered from injury may also be left out. One example is Chadi Riad, who suffered a knee injury while playing for Crystal Palace last weekend.

Ouahbi’s European tour therefore combines scouting with squad assessment, as he weighs new options ahead of Morocco’s Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifying matches. The meetings with van Persie, Ebnoutalib and Mohya could help determine whether any of the players are ready to commit to the Atlas Lions.