Hamburger SV Pursues Zakaria El Ouahdi Amid Genk's Resistance
Hamburger SV have their man on side. Now they just need to convince his club.
According to HLN, Moroccan international Zakaria El Ouahdi has agreed personal terms with Hamburg, clearing the first major hurdle in a move that has been brewing all summer. The full-back wants the switch. The Bundesliga club want him. Genk, for the moment, do not.
Hamburg have already lodged three bids with the Belgian side. All three have been rejected. Genk know exactly what they have on their hands and are in no rush to cash in.
El Ouahdi’s Career Progression
El Ouahdi’s desire is clear: he sees Hamburg as the next step in a career that has accelerated rapidly over the past two seasons. At 24, he has grown into one of the most dangerous attacking full-backs in Belgian football, a constant outlet down the flank and a genuine goal threat.
His rise really began once Daniel Muñoz left Genk for Crystal Palace. The vacancy at right-back opened, and El Ouahdi grabbed it. After a solid, unspectacular first campaign with Genk, he exploded once given a clear run in the side.
Recent Performance
In the 2024/25 season he played 40 games, scoring eight goals and adding two assists – standout numbers for a defender. Last season he went up another level: 12 goals in 45 appearances, plus five assists, underlining just why Hamburg have made him a priority target.
Those figures explain the stalemate. Genk are holding out for a fee that reflects a player who influences games in the final third as much as many wingers. Hamburg, back in the Bundesliga for only their second season after promotion, see El Ouahdi as a potential cornerstone of their project: energy, end product, and experience in European competition pressure.
The player’s determination to leave is expected to play a role. With personal terms already agreed, the trajectory of the talks points in one direction. Both clubs know a compromise is likely; the only question is how long Genk can resist before Hamburg’s next offer finally hits the mark.
If the deal does go through, Hamburg won’t be signing just another full-back. They’ll be adding a proven weapon from deep, one expected to walk straight into the starting XI and shape their second season back among Germany’s elite.
