With the summer transfer window well underway, clubs in the Premier League are working feverishly to get deals over the line. A slew of teams in England’s top division – including Manchester United and Chelsea – have a mutual target in their sights.
Roma midfielder Neil El Aynaoui made a splash in Serie A last season and he is doing much of the same for his native Morocco at the 2026 World Cup. Unsurprisingly, he has attracted the attention of several top clubs from across Europe.
According to a report from TEAMtalk, both United and Chelsea have held preliminary talks with the 25-year-old’s representatives regarding a potential move in the coming weeks. However, as we have alluded to, neither the Red Devils nor the Blues are alone in their pursuit of this highly-coveted midfield talent.
Clubs such as Everton, Newcastle United, Brighton, Sunderland, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Bournemouth have also thrown their hat into the ring. On top of this, according to El Nacional [via Roma Press], La Liga giants Barcelona and Real Madrid are also interested in a possible move for the player. Previously, Marseille had also been interested, but were unable to afford him.
As such, interest in El Aynaoui is incredibly high at the moment. If a club such as Madrid or Barcelona come knocking, they will be difficult to compete with – but, for now, United and Chelsea remain firmly in contention to seal a deal and strike a major coup to bring him on board before the summer window slams shut.
Neil El Aynaoui 2025/26 Serie A stats
Games Goals Assists Yellow Cards Red Cards
N. El Ayaoui 25 1 2 5 0
Neil El Aynaoui 2026 World Cup stats
Games Goals Assists Yellow Cards Red Cards
N. El Ayaoui 4 0 0 0 0
What Neil El Aynaoui would bring to Manchester United or Chelsea
An excellent passer of the ball with phenomenal vision, El Aynaoui is a wonderful playmaker who likes to make things happen from deep positions. He might not be the most prolific goalscorer, but this is generally because he rarely occupies such positions.
He boasts a very impressive pass success rate of 93% in the World Cup so far – especially so when you consider that he generally likes to move the ball forward and make things happen wherever possible.
He is an adaptable midfielder, too. While he generally excels in central midfield, his physicality also allows him to occupy the holding role. On top of this, he has can also function as an attacking midfielder or even as a left-winger if he is required to do so. Such pliability can be an absolute godsend in the modern game.
Furthermore, standing at 6ft 2, he is also an effective aerial presence and is very difficult to knock off the ball under pressure. He isn’t the most graceful defender, though – he has committed nearly three fouls every game on average during the World Cup so far. Despite this, he’s a very good set-piece taker, being able to take free-kicks and corners with a high degree of precision.