Zakaria El Ouahdi has completed his move to Hamburger SV, closing a lengthy transfer saga that dragged through much of the window. The Morocco international has left KRC Genk for the Bundesliga club on a permanent deal, ending weeks of speculation and multiple rejected offers before the two clubs finally reached an agreement.
After a drawn-out saga full of rejected bids, El Ouahdi’s move from Genk to Hamburger SV is finally done.
The fixed fee is reported at €8 million, with the total package potentially reaching €12 million once bonuses are included. Other reports suggest a guaranteed amount below €10 million, showing how estimates have varied as the deal was finalized. El Ouahdi has signed a five-year contract, keeping him at Hamburg until around 2031. That length reflects the club’s long-term view of the 24-year-old as a fixture on the right side of their squad, not simply a short-term fix.
Genk had reportedly valued the player between €13 million and €17 million including bonuses, well above Hamburg’s early bids. That gap explains why negotiations stretched for so long. El Ouahdi had already agreed personal terms with Hamburg, including the five-year framework, before the clubs settled on a fee. Genk’s approval came late in the window, leaving little time for medicals and paperwork before the deadline passed.
Born on 31 December 2001 in Hoboken, Belgium, El Ouahdi stands between 173 and 175 centimeters and plays as a right-back or right winger. He came through Belgian academies, earned promotion with RWD Molenbeek, and joined Genk in 2023. He has represented Morocco at senior level, with at least two caps so far, and is regarded as a rising figure among the Atlas Lions, a group that also includes emerging talents like Zakaria Aboukhlal.
At Genk, he started all three league matches to open the 2025-26 season and had already posted 10 appearances and three goals in the campaign before his exit. His contract with Genk ran until 2028, giving the club strong leverage in talks, and his market value of roughly €17 million shows why Hamburg had to raise their offers.
Hamburg’s sporting leadership identified the right flank as an area needing reinforcement, and German outlet Kicker named El Ouahdi as their preferred option at right-back over other candidates. The move arrives alongside other late signings, including Fábio Vieira, as part of Hamburg’s push to strengthen before the deadline.
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