A Ligue 2 goal-scoring exploit is set to earn Tawfik Bentayeb a move to Belgium’s top flight. The Moroccan striker is closing in on a transfer to RSC Anderlecht from Union Touarga Sport, with the two clubs having reached an agreement in principle worth around €4.5m including bonuses. Multiple Belgian and French outlets describe the deal as effectively done, with only a work permit and medical tests standing between Bentayeb and an official announcement.
The structure of the deal reflects careful planning on both sides. Union Touarga Sport is set to retain a 20% sell-on clause on any future transfer, giving the Moroccan club a stake in Bentayeb’s long-term development. Reports on the fixed fee vary slightly, with some citing €4m plus bonuses and others €4.5m including add-ons, but the overall package is consistent across sources. Anderlecht’s move looks shrewd given that Transfermarkt values the striker at closer to €8m, suggesting the Belgian club has secured him below market rate after raising an initial bid from €3–3.5m.
Bentayeb is expected to sign a four-year contract, keeping him at Anderlecht until 2030. Before that happens, he must clear administrative hurdles. Belgian media report he is scheduled to arrive in Brussels on Thursday for medical examinations, while some French sources suggest a Monday arrival to complete his signing. Either way, the timeline points to a swift resolution once the paperwork clears.
The 24-year-old center forward built his reputation during a loan spell at ESTAC Troyes in Ligue 2 last season, where he finished as the division’s top scorer with around 18 goals. His form played a major role in Troyes’ promotion to Ligue 1 and drew interest from several European clubs looking for attacking reinforcement. Bentayeb’s rise mirrors that of fellow Moroccan forward Abdessamad Ezzalzouli, whose emergence as one of the Atlas Lions dynamic wingers has fueled optimism about the depth of Moroccan attacking talent making waves across Europe. That same national pride surrounds Ayoub El Kaabi, whose exploits leading Morocco’s attack have become a benchmark for the country’s rising strikers.
Anderlecht were not alone in pursuing him. Union Saint-Gilloise and Standard Liège also showed interest, with Union SG reportedly offering around €3.5m—well short of Union Touarga’s €8m valuation. Anderlecht’s willingness to meet a higher figure appears to have given them the edge, and barring any late complications with the permit process, Bentayeb looks set to become the club’s newest attacking addition.
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