Barcelona Revives Interest in Azzedine Ounahi Following De Jong Injury

Barcelona have gone back to a familiar name in their search for midfield cover, reigniting their pursuit of Morocco international Azzedine Ounahi after Frenkie de Jong’s latest injury setback.

The Catalan club, according to Spanish programme "El Chiringuito", are weighing up a move for the Girona midfielder during the current summer window, with the need for fresh legs in the middle of the pitch now pressing rather than optional. De Jong’s absence has opened a gap in both profile and personality, and Ounahi’s name has quickly returned to the top of the discussion.

It is a link with history. Barcelona tracked Ounahi closely after his breakout performances for Morocco at the 2022 World Cup, where his blend of press resistance, energy and daring on the ball pushed the Atlas Lions into the global spotlight. A move to Camp Nou was seriously considered back then before the deal collapsed, leaving the Catalans to look elsewhere and Ounahi to continue his rise away from the Spanish giants’ orbit.

That orbit has pulled him back.

Now at Girona and firmly established as one of the more eye-catching midfielders in La Liga, Ounahi is drawing interest from several clubs this summer. The chase is active, the competition real, but the player has yet to commit to any destination. His next step remains open, a decision still sitting with him as the market gathers pace around his name.

Barcelona’s renewed interest comes with a different backdrop this time. They are not simply admiring a World Cup revelation; they are reacting to a problem. With De Jong sidelined and the squad already stretched, the need for a midfielder who can carry the ball, break lines and handle high-pressure games has become urgent. Ounahi, who drove Morocco all the way to the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup and again proved he can handle the biggest stage, fits that description.

The question now is whether Barcelona will finally turn long-standing admiration into a concrete offer — and whether Ounahi sees his future in the colours he came so close to wearing once before.