AC Milan target Genk defender Zakaria El Ouahdi in potential €15m move

AC Milan are considering a move for Genk and Morocco right-back Zakaria El Ouahdi, who could cost between €13m and €15m, according to reports in the Italian media.

The Serie A club are looking for a replacement for Athekame, who is preparing to join Olympique Lyonnais. El Ouahdi is one of the defenders being assessed by AC Milan as they consider their options in the transfer market.

Genk are understood to be targeting a fee of up to €15m for the player, who was born in 2001. The Belgian club do not appear willing to allow the right-back to leave for less than that amount, making the reported valuation a key factor in any possible negotiations.

No formal offer has been made for El Ouahdi at this stage. However, the interest from AC Milan is described as genuine, and the Italian club could decide to make an approach if they settle on the Moroccan as their preferred candidate to strengthen the position.

A move to San Siro would represent another significant step in El Ouahdi’s career and could make him the latest Genk player to join a major European club this summer.

Genk have already seen the highly rated Konstantinos Karetsas leave for Borussia Dortmund. The talented player recently completed a move to the Bundesliga side for a fee of about €35m.

El Ouahdi had also been linked with a possible move to PSV Eindhoven earlier in the transfer window. The Eindhoven-based publication Eindhovens Dagblad was among those to identify him as a potential addition for PSV Eindhoven and a player who could strengthen Peter Bosz’s defence.

Those reports placed the Moroccan among the options being considered in the Netherlands, but AC Milan’s reported interest now offers a different possible destination. The Italian club’s search is being driven by the expected departure of Athekame to Olympique Lyonnais, while Genk’s asking price could determine whether discussions develop into a formal transfer proposal.

For now, El Ouahdi remains a Genk player and there is no concrete bid on the table. Any move would depend on AC Milan choosing to act and meeting the Belgian club’s valuation, which is believed to be between €13m and €15m.