Rabat – Morocco international Neil El Aynaoui has officially joined RB Leipzig from AS Roma, with the Bundesliga club announcing the signing on Tuesday, September 1.
The 25-year-old midfielder arrives on a season-long loan for the 2026-27 campaign, with Leipzig holding an option to buy him permanently at the end of the season.
El Aynaoui will wear the No. 21 shirt at the German club.
The 1.85-meter midfielder joins Leipzig after establishing himself as a regular for Morocco. He started all six of the Atlas Lions’ matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, helping the national team reach the quarter-finals.
He has also earned 22 international caps for Morocco.
Leipzig praises El Aynaoui’s qualities
RB Leipzig managing director for sport Marcel Schäfer said El Aynaoui fits the club’s playing philosophy, highlighting his intensity, physicality, and ability to contribute with the ball.
“With Neil El Aynaoui, we are bringing in a player who fits our profile and our style of play extremely well,” Schäfer said.
He described the Moroccan as an energetic and aggressive midfielder capable of covering large areas of the pitch while providing dynamism and creativity in possession.
Schäfer also pointed to El Aynaoui’s performances at the 2026 World Cup, saying the midfielder demonstrated that he can perform at the highest level.
Leipzig had reportedly been monitoring the player for several years before completing the move.
El Aynaoui welcomes a new challenge
El Aynaoui said Leipzig’s high-intensity style was one of the factors that attracted him to the club.
“RB Leipzig has an excellent reputation, and the RBL style of play – with its high intensity, dynamism and ambition to dominate possession – suits me and my strengths very well,” he said.
The midfielder added that conversations with Leipzig’s representatives and head coach Martín Demichelis convinced him to make the move.
He is now set to compete in the Bundesliga, Champions League, and DFB-Pokal with his new club.
From Nancy and Lens to Roma and Leipzig
El Aynaoui began his professional career at AS Nancy, making the step up to the first team in 2021 before subsequently joining RC Lens.
Across his spells with Nancy and Lens, the midfielder made 117 competitive appearances, scoring 13 goals and providing six assists.
He moved to Roma in the summer of 2025 and went on to make 35 competitive appearances for the Italian club, scoring twice and registering two assists.
El Aynaoui also brings European experience to Leipzig. He has made three Champions League appearances and featured 11 times in the Europa League, where he scored once.
His move to Germany now represents another major step in his career, with Leipzig hoping the Moroccan can strengthen their midfield during the 2026-27 season.
For El Aynaoui, the transfer provides an opportunity to continue his development in the Bundesliga while building on the momentum of an impressive World Cup campaign with Morocco.
