Moncef Zekri is at Estadio Jose Alvalade to complete his move to Sporting CP, with the 17-year-old Morocco youth international preparing to sign a four-year contract with the Portuguese club.
The young left-back is completing his official photographs at the Lisbon stadium ahead of the formal announcement of the transfer. Sporting CP have agreed to pay about €3.5m in guaranteed fees for the defender, with additional performance-related bonuses included in the deal.
Zekri’s arrival represents a significant coup for Sporting CP, who have moved ahead of several prominent European clubs in the race for his signature. PSV Eindhoven and Ajax Amsterdam were also interested in the player, but the Portuguese side have secured his move from KV Mechelen.
The defender emerged through the Belgian club’s academy before attracting attention with his performances for Morocco’s youth teams. His progress at international level helped establish him as one of the more promising young players in his position, and he is now set to continue his development in Lisbon.
Sporting CP see Zekri as an addition to their options on the left side of defence. He is expected to help compensate for the departure of Ricardo Mangas while also competing with Maxi Araujo for a place in the team under the Portuguese coaching staff.
The transfer is yet to be officially announced, but Zekri’s presence at Estadio Jose Alvalade for the final stages of the process indicates that the agreement is close to completion. Once the paperwork and formalities are concluded, Sporting CP will confirm the signing of a player who had attracted interest from other leading clubs in Europe.
For Sporting CP, the deal combines immediate squad planning with a longer-term investment in a teenage defender developed in Belgium and tested in Morocco’s youth international set-up. The club’s decision to commit around €3.5m in fixed payments, alongside bonuses, underlines its determination to secure Zekri despite competition from PSV Eindhoven and Ajax Amsterdam.
Zekri’s move will take him from KV Mechelen to Lisbon as Sporting CP reshape their options on the left flank. His immediate challenge will be to establish himself within the first-team group and push Maxi Araujo for regular opportunities, while also filling the space left by Ricardo Mangas.