馃嚥馃嚘MoroccoNorth Africa
Bilal El Khannouss permanently transferred to Stuttgart
via Le Matin1 min read
VfB Stuttgart has finalized the permanent transfer of Moroccan midfielder Bilal El Khannouss, exercising the purchase option in his loan agreement. According to the German newspaper "Bild," Stuttgart will pay approximately 18 million euros, plus performance-related bonuses, for the African champion. This follows an initial investment of over 3 million euros for his loan from Leicester City. El Khannouss quickly became a key player for Stuttgart, making 35 appearances across all competitions, scoring 9 goals, and providing 4 assists. His consistent performances and offensive impact convinced the German club to secure his long-term presence in the Bundesliga. With the Atlas Lions, El Khannouss is also establishing himself under Mohamed Ouahbi, aiming for a starting position for the 2026 World Cup. Additionally, Azzedine Ounahi, shining for Girona, is attracting interest from Atl茅tico de Madrid, while Neil El Aynaoui is reportedly being monitored by Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, despite limited playing time at AS Roma. These developments highlight the increasing appeal of Moroccan international players in the European football market.
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The governments of the Kingdom of Morocco and the French Republic will hold the 15th session of the Morocco-France High-Level Meeting on Thursday in Rabat. This session reinforces the exceptional and strengthened partnership between Morocco and France, guided by the two heads of state, King Mohammed VI and French President Emmanuel Macron, according to a statement from the Department of the Head of Government.
National coach Mohamed Ouahbi addressed recent comments from Sofyan Amrabat's family regarding the player's lack of playing time, adopting a calm and educational approach during a press conference. Ouahbi dismissed any notion of a major issue, attributing the frustration to a player eager for more time on the field and a family concerned about seeing him on the bench. He drew on his experience working with youth players and their parents, stating he understands the emotions involved. Ouahbi praised Amrabat's character and commitment, noting that despite his disappointment about not playing, Amrabat consistently trained hard. He explained that Amrabat's reduced playing time was due to strong competition from other emerging talents like Bouaddi, El Aynaoui, and El Mourabet. By handling the situation with detachment and avoiding direct confrontation, Ouahbi preserved team unity and left the door open for Amrabat, an essential figure in the locker room, to continue contributing to the National Team.
Must ReadMorocco is increasingly recognized as a credible and ambitious player in the energy transition, according to Samir Rachidi, Director General of the Institute for Research in Solar Energy and New Energies IRESEN. A new 146-page collective work, "Moroccan Energy Diplomacy in the Euro-Mediterranean and Atlantic Space," published by Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung and edited by Steven H枚fner and Rabii El Bacha, highlights how energy has become a foreign policy instrument for Morocco over the past decade. The book, featuring eight Moroccan legal experts and researchers, examines the intersection of law, geopolitics, and engineering. The publication traces this strategic shift back to the 2014 Morocco-European Union summit, where King Mohammed VI advocated for a controlled, secure, and sustainable Euro-Mediterranean energy policy. Morocco is now evolving into an energy integration platform to strengthen regional cooperation. Key infrastructure projects underscore this ambition. Morocco is the first African country physically connected to the European electricity grid, with the initial Morocco-Spain link established in 1997. A second circuit doubled its capacity to 1,400 MW, jointly financed by Spain's Red Electrica and Morocco's ONEE. A third interconnection is under study. The Sila Atlantik project, backed by Berlin and Xlinks, aims to deliver 3.6 GW of renewable electricity to Germany via two 4,800-kilometer subsea cables, supported by 15 GW of solar and wind capacity in Morocco. This p