Crystal Palace target Moroccan teenage defender Taha Majni in late-window move

Crystal Palace are reportedly close to signing Morocco Under-23 defender Taha Majni from Union Touarga, with the transfer emerging as a surprise move before the English window closes on Tuesday, 1 September.

According to football insider Youssef, the club associated with Morocco international Chadi Riad have been impressed by Majni and are expected to complete a deal for the 18-year-old, who turns 19 in October.

Majni is a versatile central defender who can also operate on either side of the defence. A right-footed player, he is regarded as one of the most promising young defenders in Moroccan football.

He has made 19 appearances in senior professional football so far. Fifteen of those matches came last season, when he started 13 times.

The teenager is expected to leave Union Touarga, the club where he developed, to join Crystal Palace. He could initially be placed with the London club’s reserve side before being considered for the first team, provided his performances meet the required standard.

Majni could therefore follow a pathway similar to that used by other young players arriving at Palace, although the report does not indicate when he might be involved with the senior squad.

A profile on Transfermarkt states that Majni had also attracted interest from Raja Casablanca, one of the historic clubs in the Moroccan league. However, Palace are now understood to be the club closest to securing his signature.

International experience

Majni has represented Morocco at Under-17 and Under-18 level, winning two caps in total for those age groups.

In October 2025, he was part of the Morocco side that won the Under-20 World Cup under manager Mohamed Ouahbi. Majni played a limited role in the final, coming on for the final five minutes as Morocco beat Argentina 2-0.

He has since progressed to the Morocco Under-23 team. Majni made his first two appearances for the Lionceaux de l’Atlas in March.

He came off the bench for the final 30 minutes of the first leg against Cote d’Ivoire, which finished 0-0. In the return fixture, he played the entire match after Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal suffered an injury. That game ended 2-2.

The proposed move would give Crystal Palace another young Moroccan defender to monitor while adding depth to their development structure. For Majni, it would represent a move from Union Touarga to English football at a time when his international career is beginning to progress.

The report from Youssef indicates that the deal is nearing completion, although the transfer remains subject to the final stages of the process before the deadline.