Casablanca – Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has reportedly admired Moroccan international Abdessamad Ezzalzouli for some time, with Spanish newspaper SPORT revealing that the Real Betis winger has previously been considered a potential attacking option for the Catalan club.
According to SPORT, Flick’s enthusiastic comments about Ezzalzouli ahead of Saturday’s LaLiga encounter between Barcelona and Betis were particularly noteworthy given the German manager’s typically measured approach when discussing players outside his squad.
The Spanish outlet noted that Flick is careful about how he publicly assesses footballers and has occasionally been more reserved when asked about other players.
His remarks about Abdessamad, however, reflected an admiration that reportedly extends beyond the Moroccan’s recent performances.
“What I see from him impresses me. He’s a fantastic player. I like the way he plays football, the confidence he has in one-on-one situations in the final third,” Flick said during his pre-match press conference.
SPORT reports that Ezzalzouli has appeared on Barcelona’s list of potential winger options during previous summer transfer windows.
The Catalan club reportedly made preliminary inquiries about a possible return for the Moroccan international, although those contacts did not develop into formal negotiations or an agreement.
Abde continues to impress at Betis
Abde’s performance against his former club on Saturday offered another example of the qualities Flick had highlighted.
Despite Betis suffering a 5-2 defeat at La Cartuja, the 24-year-old was among his team’s most dangerous attacking players.
The Moroccan scored Betis’ second goal after a swift counterattack, which he finished past Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia.
His pace and ability to challenge defenders also caused problems for Jules Kounde throughout the encounter.
The display followed another impressive performance in the Champions League, where Abde scored against Porto just three days earlier.
Under Manuel Pellegrini, the Moroccan has established himself as an important part of Betis’ attacking setup, and SPORT considers him one of the team’s standout performers.
The outlet estimates his current market value at approximately €40 million, although this is not an official valuation or asking price established by Betis.
Barcelona still hold a stake in Abde’s future
Despite his departure in September 2023, Abde remains financially linked to Barcelona through a percentage of any future transfer.
The Catalan club initially sold the winger to Real Betis for €7.5 million and retained a 50% share of a future sale.
However, the agreement changed in February 2025 during negotiations surrounding Brazilian forward Vitor Roque’s transfer to Palmeiras.
Roque was on loan at Betis at the time, which meant the Andalusian club’s approval was necessary to complete his departure.
According to SPORT, Barcelona agreed to surrender 30 percentage points of its future-sale rights in Abde as part of that arrangement.
The club consequently retains a 20% share of any future transfer fee involving the Moroccan international.
While Flick’s admiration and Barcelona’s previous inquiries have renewed interest in Abde’s situation, SPORT has not reported any fresh negotiations or concrete plans for his return.
