Official | Hamburg complete €8m Zakaria El Ouahdi signing | OneFootball

Hamburg have officially completed the signing of Morocco international Zakaria El Ouahdi from KRC Genk, finally landing their preferred solution on the right side after several weeks of negotiations. The 24-year-old successfully completed his medical on Sunday before signing his contract with the Bundesliga club.

According to Transfermarkt, HSV will pay an initial €8m transfer fee, with another €3m potentially due through bonuses. Genk have also reportedly secured a percentage of any future sale. The structure represents potentially excellent business for Hamburg given El Ouahdi’s current estimated €17m market value.

Get German Football News reported previously that HSV had intensified their pursuit of El Ouahdi after agreeing personal terms with the player. Hamburg were preparing another attempt to reach an agreement with Genk after seeing two earlier approaches rejected.

Sporting director Claus Costa ultimately refused to abandon the pursuit or meet Genk’s initial demands, with the two clubs eventually finding common ground through a lower guaranteed fee supplemented by bonuses and a sell-on clause.

Hamburg finally fill right-sided vacancy

El Ouahdi arrives to address one of the clearest remaining deficiencies in Hamburg’s squad. Following the departures of William Mikelbrencis and Giorgi Gocholeishvili, Bakery Jatta had entered the new Bundesliga campaign with little genuine competition on the right side. Jatta subsequently struggled defensively during Hamburg’s 2-0 defeat away at Borussia Dortmund.

The transfer also represents another major step in an unusual career trajectory. El Ouahdi worked his way through Belgian amateur football before establishing himself at senior level and eventually developing into one of Genk’s most important players. His performances also earned recognition with Morocco.

The defender has already represented the senior national team and formed part of Morocco’s squad at the 2026 World Cup.

HSV secure expensive target below market value

Despite the relatively modest €8m guaranteed fee, El Ouahdi still becomes one of Hamburg’s most expensive signings of the past decade. The club had not paid more for a new arrival since the 2016/17 campaign, when Filip Kostić cost €14m and Walace arrived for €9.2m.

HSV are also expected to complete the permanent signing of Fábio Vieira from Arsenal for approximately €9m.

His €17m valuation suggests Hamburg have secured a player capable of immediately pushing for a starting role while still retaining significant resale potential.

Statements on Zakaria El Ouahdi’s Hamburg arrival

“Zaka has had an impressive career path,” HSV Board Member for Sport Kathleen Krüger noted in a club statement. “He worked his way from Belgian amateur football to becoming a professional and Moroccan international and has been one of Genk’s key performers in recent years.

“He achieved this through his own efforts, and that shows impressively how ambitious and capable of further development he is,” Krüger continued. “Now he is taking the step into the Bundesliga.”

“With Zaka, we are signing a very dynamic and attack-minded full-back whose energy and courageous style of play fit our football extremely well,” club sporting director Claus Costa added.

“I am very happy about my move to HSV,” El Ouahdi himself said. “This is a big club in Germany with a rich history. I can hardly wait to play at the Volkspark. From what I have heard, the stadium is always full. I want to excite the supporters with my style of play and can promise that I will always give everything for the club.”

GGFN | Peter Weis