Eintracht Frankfurt's recent transfer dealings have proven to be astute, with two of their new signings potentially on the brink of receiving their first call-ups to the Moroccan national team. Younes Ebnoutalib and Ayoube Amaimouni-Echghouyab, who joined the club in January from lower divisions, have quickly integrated into the Bundesliga squad and are now being recognized for their performances. According to reports from Bild, both players are likely to be included in the preliminary roster for Morocco's upcoming friendly matches against Ecuador on March 27 and Paraguay on March 31. This would mark a significant milestone in their careers, as it would be their first inclusion in a senior national team.
The trajectories of Ebnoutalib and Amaimouni-Echghouyab have been noteworthy. Amaimouni-Echghouyab made a substantial impact in the first half of the season, scoring 15 points in 18 matches for Hoffenheim II before making the switch to Frankfurt for a fee of €200,000. Meanwhile, Ebnoutalib made headlines during his time at SV Elversberg, netting twelve goals in just 17 appearances, which prompted Eintracht to invest a significant €8 million for his transfer.
Upon joining Frankfurt, Ebnoutalib continued his impressive form, scoring in his debut match, a thrilling 3-3 draw against Dortmund. However, he suffered a setback with a serious knee injury during a 2-3 loss to Stuttgart, which sidelined him for several weeks. Fortunately, he has since returned to team training. In contrast, Amaimouni-Echghouyab has made a seamless transition, contributing two goals and one assist in his first nine league matches, proving to be a valuable addition to the squad.
Morocco's new national coach, Mohamed Ouahbi, who took over the role on March 5, appears to be sending a strong message with these nominations, especially in a World Cup year. The Atlas Lions will face Brazil, Scotland, and Haiti in Group C during the 2026 World Cup, and having two Bundesliga talents in the squad could be crucial for their campaign.
However, the final squad has yet to be officially announced, and the situation surrounding Ebnoutalib remains particularly delicate. Born in Frankfurt to a Moroccan father, he has the option to represent either Morocco or Germany. German national coach Julian Nagelsmann is reportedly keeping an eye on him, suggesting that the DFB is closely monitoring the developments. The silver lining for Ebnoutalib is that since the upcoming matches are friendlies, accepting the nomination would not permanently commit him to Morocco, leaving the door open for a future with the German national team as well.
As reported by fr.de.
