Real Madrid will soon sign Moroccan youngster Abdellah Ouazzine as a free agent from Ajax, noted transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano said on Monday. The 16-year-old midfielder will not be immediately incorporated into the senior team but will be attached to the Castilla squad of the Real Madrid academy, he added. Abdellah Ouazzine, who holds dual citizenship, will officially sign the deal with the La Liga team in July.
Real Madrid have been tracking the teenager since last season and were waiting to see him perform on a bigger stage. Once he proved his worth for the Morocco U-17 team, they decided to make a move when his Ajax contract expires on June 30. Often compared to Jude Bellingham, many consider Ouazzine a rare talent. Here are five things Madridistas would love to know about their latest signing, who was the Best Player Award winner at the recent Africa U-17 Cup of Nations:
**1.** Born in the Dutch capital, Abdellah Ouazzine played for the Netherlands U-15 team before deciding to switch allegiance to the African side. He has earned 13 caps for Morocco since making his debut in October 2024 for the U-17 side. He has found the net four times so far. Recently, he made it clear that his dream is to represent the Atlas Lions at the senior level.
**2\.** He finished his Ajax career by top-scoring across all ranks of the Ajax academy (U-15 to U-21), with 18 goals in 14 matches. Morocco is nurturing a bunch of 2009-born talents, who they believe could lead their next golden generation. Abdellah Ouazzine is included in this list of extraordinary talent, which also features Chelsea's Ibrahim Rabbaj, Barcelona's Ismael Ziani, Borussia Dortmund's Fadi Zarqelain, OGC Nice's Nassim Laarej, and Real Betis' Ziyad Baha.
**3.** Ouazzine joined Ajax's famed academy from Amsterdam's AVV Zeeburgia in 2016. His elder brother Zakaria also followed and is now a striker for the Ajax U-19 side. He spent two important years at Zeeburgia, where he learned the basics of professional football.
**4\.** Comparisons with Jude Bellingham gained traction as Ouazzine proved to be a clinical goalscorer despite operating in midfield. He can play as an attacking midfielder (AMF), defensive midfielder (DMF), or holding playmaker, depending on the manager's tactical needs. Along with his mastery of set-piece taking—particularly free kicks—Ouazzine is also known for his powerful long-range shots.
**5\.** Abdellah Ouazzine’s technical flair and decision-making skills are admirable, making him a constant threat in transition and build-up play, reports said. He is a good dribbler — which many point out is exemplary for a player of his build (1.83 m). He can feed his teammates with diagonal passes as well as pinpoint crosses.