Ouazane shines for Ajax after Real Madrid deal falls through

Abdellah Ouazane has made an impressive early impact with Ajax after the Moroccan teenager’s proposed move to Real Madrid was abandoned following a medical examination.

The 17-year-old caught the eye in Ajax’s 2-2 draw with Heerenveen at the Johan Cruyff Arena on Sunday, scoring the second goal with a powerful effort from the edge of the penalty area.

His performance marked another significant step in the midfielder’s return to prominence, just months after Real Madrid unexpectedly decided not to complete his signing.

According to Spanish newspaper Sport, Ouazane had been close to joining Real Madrid in the summer of 2025. The Spanish club had won the race for his signature after monitoring him for several months, with Barcelona and Paris St-Germain also understood to have been interested.

Real Madrid reached an initial agreement with the player, who travelled to the Spanish capital to finalise the move. The club had been particularly impressed by his potential after he was named the best player at the Africa Cup of Nations Under-17 tournament several months earlier.

The proposed arrangement would have seen Ouazane spend several months with Real Madrid’s youth teams while also receiving opportunities with Real Madrid Castilla. The club had additionally agreed to sign his brother, Zakaria, for Real Madrid C.

However, the deal collapsed within hours when Real Madrid informed Ouazane that he had not passed the medical examination. Because of the confidential nature of medical assessments, the club only indicated that an issue had made the transfer impossible.

Sources close to the player said Ouazane had supplied medical reports from outside the club confirming that he was in perfect health to play professional football. He nevertheless did not join Real Madrid, and reports in the Netherlands soon revealed that he had returned to Ajax.

Ajax later confirmed that Ouazane was fit to play after he completed the club’s own medical checks. He signed a three-year contract, the longest deal permitted under regulations because of his age at the time.

Speaking to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf during pre-season, Ouazane described how he responded to the disappointment in Madrid.

“I drew strength from that. Returning to Ajax was the best option for me. I am very happy and I want to prove again why people regard me as a talent. I want to become a real man in the world of sport.”

He added: “I am very happy. I think I deserved it because of my ability on the pitch. The talk about me and Ajax has returned, and there is less discussion about what happened. From here, I start working towards moving into senior football. Everything comes at its own time; that is how I was brought up at home.”

Ouazane spent much of last season away from the spotlight, featuring for Ajax’s reserve and youth teams, including in the UEFA Youth League. He made 29 appearances in total, scoring six goals and providing nine assists.

Michel Sanchez gave him an opportunity with the first team during pre-season, and Ouazane has quickly begun to justify that decision. He came off the bench to provide an assist during Ajax’s UEFA Conference League qualifying tie against Serbian side Vojvodina before making a stronger impression in the Dutch league.

Ajax, managed by Michel Sanchez and Marc-Andre ter Stegen, drew 2-2 with Heerenveen in the second round of the Dutch league this week. Ouazane was regarded as the home side’s outstanding player, underlining why leading European clubs had previously been eager to secure his services.