Several Ligue 1 clubs including Lyon and Lens are very interested in Algerian international Ramiz Zerrouki, who is out of contract with Twente.
In search of the best deals given the dramatic financial situation in Ligue 1, French clubs may find themselves in competition on a number of fronts this summer. This is particularly the case for the top table clubs, whose financial resources are not as significant despite their good standings. Lens and Olympique Lyonnais will experience this as the 2nd and 4th placed teams in the league are interested in the same player to strengthen their midfield.
According to information from Algerian press and Turkish media Turkiyegazetesi, Lens, Lyon, and Strasbourg are very interested in Ramiz Zerrouki. The 27-year-old Algerian midfielder, released this season by Feyenoord to Twente with a contract expiring in June 2027, will be available for a very affordable price one year before the end of his contract. This is a great opportunity for Ligue 1 clubs as they are considering a 27-year-old experienced player with 51 caps for Algeria.
Lyon and Lens will, however, face tough competition as, for now, Turkish club Trabzonspor is leading the race. In Spain, Villarreal is also keeping an eye on Zerrouki’s situation and might make an offer to attract the 1.83m defensive midfielder. Feyenoord, the Dutch club that seems to have little use for the Algerian international, could agree to a departure for €6 million according to Turkish media.
This reasonable price tag would be within reach for Lyon, Lens, or Strasbourg this summer. It remains to be seen whether the Amsterdam native, who has spent his entire career in the Netherlands so far, will be excited about the idea of trying his luck in Ligue 1 or if he will prefer Turkey or Spain for the next phase of his career. At Lyon, Zerrouki could potentially be seen as a successor to Tanner Tessmann in midfield, as the departure of the American seems almost inevitable.
