Real Madrid are closely monitoring Morocco midfielder Neil El Aynaoui after his standout performances at the Africa Cup of Nations, with the Spanish giants considering a future move for the AS Roma player.
Sources close to the situation indicate that El Aynaoui has emerged as a serious target for Madrid’s recruitment team following the continental tournament, where his displays for the Atlas Lions attracted sustained attention from the club’s scouts.
While no formal offer has been made, the midfielder has now been placed on a short list of priority profiles under observation.
The interest follows a series of performances at AFCON that left a strong impression in Madrid. Club emissaries were reportedly struck by the player’s influence, work rate and overall presence, prompting Real Madrid to intensify their monitoring of his progress in Italy.
The plan is to continue assessing El Aynaoui until the end of the current Serie A season before any final decision is taken.
Initial, informal contact has already taken place with the player’s representatives, although a move during the current transfer window appears unlikely.
Instead, the situation is expected to develop with a view to the summer market, when Madrid traditionally reassess their options.
In Italy, El Aynaoui’s rise has not gone unnoticed. The Corriere dello Sport has described him as the “main revelation of the competition”, highlighting the precision and consistency of his interventions throughout the tournament.
The newspaper’s assessment reflects the growing recognition of a player whose trajectory has accelerated over recent months.
His development comes as little surprise to Morocco head coach Walid Regragui, who has regularly praised the midfielder’s mentality.
Regragui has drawn a parallel with El Aynaoui’s father, former tennis champion Younes El Aynaoui, referring to his “fighting temperament on the courts” as a defining trait now visible in his son’s approach on the football pitch.
At club level, AS Roma are keen to capitalise on the experience gained during the African competition.
Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini had been eager to reintegrate the midfielder following his international duty, with the club viewing his AFCON exposure as an important step in his development.
Roma, who invested 25 million euros in El Aynaoui’s recruitment, are counting on that added maturity as they approach the second half of the season.
However, Real Madrid’s interest could alter the picture. The player is understood to be receptive to the attention from Spain and has already indicated that Real Madrid would be his preferred destination should an official offer be made.
For now, Madrid are proceeding cautiously, but the situation remains active. The interest is real, the monitoring ongoing, and the file firmly remains open.
