A few hours after signing on loan with Greek club Panathinaikos, Azzedine Ounahi unfollowed his compatriot, Mehdi Benatia, on Instagram.
The Moroccan international’s move confirms the distance and tension that characterize the relationship between Azzedine Ounahi and his compatriot, Mehdi Benatia, the sporting director of the French club Marseille, as the latter, according to media sources, contributed to finding a way out for Ounahi, by bringing Gulf offers to the player, despite Ounahi’s insistence on staying in Europe.
In addition, Ounahi said, in statements to a Greek channel, that he did not choose the money path by signing for other clubs, referring to the Saudi League, stressing that the decision to join Panathinaikos was a difficult decision.
The Moroccan player said: “I made the decision to join this club because it is an ambitious team and I need to return to the pitch and be the new Ounahi that everyone is waiting for. Things happened very quickly. It is a difficult choice for me. It was difficult for me to make this choice.”
He continued: “I had the possibility to choose the easy way, take the money and put an end to my football career, but I did not do that. The most important thing now is to return to the field, regain my level and work to leave my mark on the best season in my career.”
“I originally play as a number 8, but I have previously played in several positions in midfield as a number 6. We previously played against Panathinaikos in the Champions League qualifiers. Yes, the atmosphere reminds me of the Velodrome Stadium, and I have previously played in this stadium, and I was surprised by its fans and watched some of the team’s matches. I am ready to start my career with it.”
Greek club Panathinaikos announced on Wednesday morning the signing of Moroccan international Azzedine Ounahi on loan for one season, coming from French club Olympique de Marseille, as part of the summer transfer window, which will continue until September 11 in Greece.
The national team midfielder completed all the necessary medical tests on Wednesday morning, to sign a contract to join on loan for one season for 500 thousand euros, with the purchase option included in the contract of the 24-year-old player.
The Greek team included a purchase option in the player’s contract, as it can now sign the player permanently during the next summer transfer window, for 11.5 million euros, with his former team Angers receiving 30% of the deal value, and 70% going to Marseille.
It is worth noting that Panathinaikos is participating in the European Conference League this season, which prompted it to strengthen its ranks with the largest number of players, in order to go as far as possible in the continental competition.
Since joining Marseille in January 2023, Azzedine Ounahi has played 44 matches for the French team, during which he scored 3 goals and provided one assist, while a number of observers considered that Ounahi did not choose his new team well after his brilliance with the Moroccan national team in the World Cup finals “Qatar 2022”.
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