End of the crisis: El Aynaoui joins the German league officially | Goal.com

Veröffentlicht am 01 Sep 2026 | Lesezeit: 2 Minuten

Neil El Aynaoui put the drama behind him in an instant. The Moroccan international sealed his switch to the German league in the closing moments of the window, opening a fresh chapter after anxious hours that had threatened to sink the deal entirely.

Leipzig confirmed the loan capture of El Aynaoui from Roma, ending the uncertainty over his future in the final hours of the mercato.

The German club said in a statement on Tuesday: "A World Cup star joins Leipzig. The 25-year-old Moroccan international moves on loan from Roma, with Leipzig retaining a buy option as part of the deal."

It confirmed: "The midfielder, who stands 1.85 metres tall, will wear the number 21 shirt."

El Aynaoui had already passed a medical ahead of completing the move. Then reports surfaced of problems that threatened to derail everything, just when the agreement between Roma and Leipzig had looked close to being wrapped up.

Leipzig cleared the obstacles and got it done, landing the 25-year-old as he prepares for his first taste of German football.

The switch follows a season in Italy in which El Aynaoui faced fierce competition for a midfield spot. Names like Niccolo Pisilli, Bryan Cristante and Manu Koné made regular minutes hard to come by.

Marcel Schäfer, Leipzig's sporting managing director, said: "With the arrival of Neil El Aynaoui, we get a player who fits our style of play and our profile perfectly. He is a very active player, distinguished by his great intensity off the ball, and he is also able to bring vitality and creativity to the midfield thanks to his high-level ball-retention skills."

He continued: "Neil is good at imposing his control both with and without the ball, and he can cover large areas of the pitch. At the World Cup, he proved once again his ability to deliver his best at the highest levels."

Schäfer added: "At 25 years old, Neil has considerable experience, and he still has a lot to develop. We have followed him for many years and monitored his progress closely. Therefore, we are delighted that he is joining Leipzig."

El Aynaoui, meanwhile, told Leipzig's official website: "Leipzig has an excellent reputation, and their style of play, with its high intensity, dynamism and ambition in ball retention, suits me perfectly and matches my strengths. I am eagerly looking forward to joining Leipzig, getting to know the city, and taking on the upcoming challenges in the German league, the Champions League and the German Cup."

He went on: "The talks with the club's representatives and Martin Demichelis were very convincing from the outset, which made the decision easy for me. I am very excited about this new challenge, I cannot wait to play with the team, and I want to contribute to achieving our goals immediately."

Reports before the official announcement put the loan fee at 4 million euros, with an option to buy El Aynaoui's contract for 25 million euros at the end of the season.

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