Zakaria El Ouahdi completes Bundesliga switch as Hamburg agree Genk deal

Zakaria El Ouahdi has joined Hamburger SV from KRC Genk after the two clubs reached an agreement following several days of negotiations, with the Morocco international beginning a new chapter in Germany.

The 24-year-old right-back has signed a five-year contract with Hamburger SV, keeping him at the club until 2031. The German side confirmed the transfer through its Instagram account.

Hamburger SV are understood to have paid an initial €8m for El Ouahdi, with performance-related bonuses potentially taking the overall value of the deal to €12m. KRC Genk have also retained a percentage of any future sale of the player.

The move will give El Ouahdi his first experience of the Bundesliga after several seasons in Belgian football. He arrives in Germany having established himself as an important part of the KRC Genk squad and as a regular member of the Morocco national team.

El Ouahdi developed through several Belgian academies, including Beerschot, Royal Antwerp, Zulte Waregem and Berchem Sport. He began his senior career with Rupel Boom before continuing his progress at RWDM.

His performances for RWDM attracted the attention of KRC Genk, who signed him at the beginning of 2024. During his time with the Limburg club, El Ouahdi developed into a key player and demonstrated an attacking threat from right-back.

Across 116 appearances for KRC Genk, he scored 20 goals and provided 13 assists. That output helped underline his growing importance and contributed to his move to one of Germany’s established clubs.

El Ouahdi was reportedly earning €241,280 per year in Belgium, equivalent to 156,832,000 FCFA. His current market valuation is €17m.

The player, who was born in Hoboken, is now preparing to adapt to German football and compete for a place in Hamburger SV’s squad. His arrival comes as the club continue their Bundesliga campaign.

Hamburger SV’s next fixture is against Mainz in the second round of the German championship. The match is scheduled to be the club’s next opportunity to assess how quickly El Ouahdi can become involved following his move.

According to odds published by the betting company 1xbet, Hamburger SV are priced at 2.60 to win, with a draw listed at 3.50 and a Mainz victory at 2.35. The original report also included information about downloading the 1xbet application.

El Ouahdi’s transfer ends his spell in Belgium and completes his progression from lower-league football through RWDM and KRC Genk to the Bundesliga. His five-year agreement reflects Hamburger SV’s commitment to the Morocco international, while the structure of the deal gives Genk the possibility of benefiting from his future development or a subsequent transfer.