The battle around Real Betis winger Abde Ezzalzouli involves more than just a simple ”transfer”. A report from AS Roma Live, citing fichajes.net, says Napoli currently lead the race for the 24-year-old Moroccan international. The Neapolitans sit at the front of a long line of clubs. This queue stretches from Naples all the way to Birmingham and beyond.
The Transfer Battle Brewing Between Napoli And Roma Over A Betis Star Has A Twist, And Aston Villa Stand At The Centre Of It
Napoli and Roma both have 50 points in the Serie A standings. Both clubs work hard in the transfer market. A top-four finish would give either team the cash they need to beat their rivals. The report notes that Roma and Napoli often chase the same players. They have looked at names like Zeki Celik and Lorenzo Pellegrini recently. A fee of around €40 million will likely decide where Ezzalzouli goes.
Napoli have made Ezzalzouli their main priority. The dynamic Moroccan is playing the best football of his career at Real Betis. The Italian club want to beat tough competition from Premier League sides and Paris Saint-Germain. Real Betis know they have a valuable player. They have set his price between €35 and €40 million. This price covers the sell-on fees that Betis owe to FC Barcelona.
Barcelona still own a percentage of any future sale. Betis rejected every offer during the January window. They chose to wait for the summer to get the most money. The winger has earned this interest. He has five goals and four assists in 16 La Liga starts. He also scored three times in the Europa League. In total, he has 15 goal involvements across 26 games.
His international form explains why so many scouts visit Seville. Ezzalzouli helped Morocco reach the 2025 AFCON final. He played seven matches before the Atlas Lions lost 1–0 to Senegal in January. He now has 33 senior caps for his country. The winger reaches a top speed of 34.1 km/h and averages 4.5 successful dribbles per game. These stats put him in La Liga’s top three for carrying the ball into the box. Scouts like his elite first touch and his quick acceleration. These traits make him very hard for defenders to stop.
Can The Birmingham Side Actually Win This Race, And Should They Try?
For Villa, this story arrives at a perfect time in early March 2026. Unai Emery thinks Ezzalzouli is the missing piece for his attack. Villa are fighting for a Champions League spot. This gives them a big advantage over other Premier League teams. This context is very important. West Ham are only two points above the relegation zone. They cannot realistically sign a player of this level right now. Meanwhile, Everton are still adjusting to life under the Friedkin Group. This same group owns Roma. This creates a strange situation. Two clubs owned by Friedkin might lose the same player to Napoli at the same time.
Villa have a strong case if Emery pitches it well. The manager knows the Spanish market perfectly. He talks to players in their own language. The Aston Villa manager has already shown he can convince top stars to pick Villa over more famous clubs. Ezzalzouli has played his whole career in Spain. He has played for Barcelona, Osasuna, Hercules, and Betis. He has never played in another country. Every club bidding for him must explain how they will help the winger adapt to England.
The main question is whether Villa should spend €40 million. Scouts say Ezzalzouli needs to stay focused for the full 90 minutes. He also needs to improve his final pass. This shows he is a player with potential rather than a finished product. Villa want to stay in European football for a long time. So, the winger’s profile fits their model well. Emery always makes players better at Villa Park. A young left winger with this speed and dribbling is a great investment. It is a move that pays off over many years.
The price still requires a close look. He expects a salary between €5 million and €6 million per year. Any club must be sure about him before spending that much. Villa’s owners are smart. They rarely spend too much without a clear plan. If the club make the Champions League, the extra money makes this deal logical. It would be their best creative move before next season starts.
