Anass Salah-Eddine is close to joining Olympiacos, with negotiations between the Greek club, AS Roma and the Morocco international described as having made significant progress.
The 24-year-old left-back is expected to leave Italy this summer after a promising loan spell at PSV Eindhoven failed to lead to a permanent move. He could now continue his career with Olympiacos, a club regularly involved in European competition and one where Morocco team-mate Ayoub El Kaabi already plays.
According to 360 Sport, the transfer is nearing completion. Olympiacos are waiting to finalise the departure of Argentine full-back Francisco Ortega to River Plate before completing their move for Salah-Eddine. The announcement could also be delayed until after PSV’s European fixture against NEC Nijmegen.
Salah-Eddine has already spoken to Olympiacos head coach Jose Luis Mendilibar and El Kaabi. The pair are understood to have explained the club’s sporting project and the role that could await him in Greece. Those conversations reportedly persuaded the defender to give his initial approval to the move.
The transfer would give Salah-Eddine an opportunity to rebuild his career after an underwhelming spell with AS Roma. He came through the Ajax academy before making his name at FC Twente, then moved to the Italian club during the January 2025 transfer window for a fee of about €8.5m.
His time in Rome never truly developed, however, with limited opportunities restricting his progress. A loan move to PSV Eindhoven offered a more productive period. Salah-Eddine made 25 appearances for the Dutch club and helped the Farmers win the Eredivisie title last season.
PSV had an option to sign him permanently, understood to be worth €8m, and wanted to keep him. Salah-Eddine instead chose to return to AS Roma in an attempt to establish himself in the Italian capital.
That prospect has since become less likely. AS Roma manager Gian Piero Gasperini is reported to favour other options in the wide areas, including more explosive players such as Brazilian defender Wesley Franca. Salah-Eddine is therefore understood to have accepted that regular first-team football would remain difficult to secure.
A move to Olympiacos could also have implications for his international future. Salah-Eddine has won 12 caps for Morocco and remains part of Mohamed Ouahbi’s plans. He is viewed as the first alternative to Noussair Mazraoui on the left side of the defence.
His natural left-footedness gives Morocco a different option behind Mazraoui, who is generally used on the left in an inverted, “faux pied” role. Salah-Eddine was selected for the 2026 World Cup, ahead of players including Souffian El Karouani.
At Olympiacos, he would join an El Kaabi who has become an attacking reference point at the Piraeus club over the past three seasons, despite recently losing his place in the Morocco squad.
Following his difficult experience at AS Roma, Greece could provide Salah-Eddine with the regular playing time and stability needed to revive his career and make a sustained return to international prominence.
