Sporting Portugal beat European rivals to sign teenage prospect Moncef Zekri

Sporting Portugal have completed the signing of 17-year-old Belgian-Moroccan full-back Moncef Zekri from KV Mechelen, with the transfer officially confirmed by both clubs.

The move brings an end to a prolonged process that had attracted considerable attention in Belgium and across Europe. Sporting, a Portuguese first-division club, concluded negotiations for Zekri after what was described as an intense period of discussions between the two sides.

Zekri had been at the centre of a growing transfer debate in recent weeks. The defender is regarded as one of the most promising young players in Belgian football, and his potential had drawn sustained interest from a number of prominent European clubs.

The exact value of the deal has not been disclosed. However, Belgian media reports indicate that an offer of about €3.5m was accepted by KV Mechelen to secure the teenager’s transfer to Lisbon.

Sporting Portugal’s success means Zekri will continue his development in Portugal after attracting attention as a Morocco youth international. His decision to join the Lisbon club also ends the hopes of several other leading European sides that had been actively pursuing his signature.

Inter Milan, Ajax Amsterdam and PSV Eindhoven were all reported to be involved in the race for the full-back. Sporting ultimately moved ahead of each of those clubs to complete the agreement.

The transfer had been expected for some time, but its formal confirmation by both KV Mechelen and Sporting Portugal provides an official conclusion to the negotiations. While the financial details remain private, the widely reported figure underlines the level of interest surrounding a player still only 17 years old.

For Sporting, the agreement represents the successful outcome of a contest involving established clubs from Italy and the Netherlands. For Zekri, it marks a significant step away from Belgian football and into the Portuguese first division, where he will continue his progression after being identified as one of Belgium’s leading young defensive prospects.

The move also highlights the strong interest in Zekri beyond his club football. His Belgian-Moroccan background and status as a Morocco youth international had added to the attention surrounding his future, before Sporting Portugal secured the deal ahead of its European competitors.