Rabat – Morocco’s talented winger Abdessamad Ezzalzouli, known as Ez Abde, has agreed to a season-long loan to Osasuna. The 20-year player signed with Barcelona last year, playing 12 matches for the Blaugrana, and is now set for vastly more playing time at Club Atlético Osasuna.
Osasuna is well aware of Abde’s potential, as the skillful winger scored his first goal in Spain’s top league, La Liga, in a 2-2 draw against the club from Pamplona.
Osasuna is set to welcome the Moroccan wonderkid today, ensuring that Abde takes part in the team’s preparation for their upcoming matches. But whether Abde will feature in the lineup of today’s home game against Rayo Vallecano at Osasuna’s El Sadar Stadium remains unclear.
The loan agreement does not have a purchase clause, ensuring Abde’s return to Barcelona at the end of the season.
Ez Abde has been at the center of controversy recently, as both Spain and Morocco were reportedly eager to enlist him for their national teams. Ezzalzouli obtained dual nationality at the end of 2021, prompting speculation that he would prefer to play for Spain. That speculation further intensified when in January, football legend and Spain’s national coach Luis Enrique claimed that the 20-year old had “chosen to play for Spain.”
Two months later, Ezzalzouli was called up by the Moroccan national team’s then-head coach Vahid Halilodzic. The talented young winger went on to share a photo with Moroccan star winger Achraf Hakimi on Instagram, a move that many Moroccan football fans and commentators said was meant to conclude the debate over his international ambitions.
