Zakaria El Ouahdi is close to leaving KRC Genk for Hamburger SV after successfully completing the second part of his medical, according to transfer specialist Sacha Tavolieri.
The 24-year-old Morocco international had previously been strongly linked with a move to PSV, but Hamburger SV now appear set to win the race for the right-back. His successful medical represents another important step towards the completion of the transfer.
The move is expected to bring one of the longer-running transfer stories surrounding Genk to an end. Hamburger SV will initially pay €8m for El Ouahdi, while performance-related bonuses could increase the final value of the deal to €12m.
Genk have also negotiated a substantial percentage of any future sale as part of the agreement. That clause could provide the Belgian club with a significant additional sum if El Ouahdi leaves Hamburger SV in a subsequent transfer.
El Ouahdi joined Genk from RWDM at the beginning of 2024 and quickly established himself as an important member of the team. During his time at the club, he made 116 appearances and produced impressive numbers for a defender.
He scored 20 goals and provided 13 assists, underlining his attacking contribution from the right side of the defence. Those performances helped make him a sought-after player and attracted interest from clubs including PSV before Hamburger SV moved closer to securing his signature.
The second stage of his medical has now been completed successfully, with the transfer to Hamburger SV appearing increasingly close. For Genk, the proposed agreement offers both an immediate fee and the possibility of further income through the future-sale percentage.
