Ilias Akhomach in high demand, Osasuna enters the race

The future of Ilias Akhomach could be a hot topic in the upcoming weeks of the transfer window. Back at Villarreal after his loan at Rayo Vallecano, the Moroccan international is attracting interest from several Spanish clubs, while his name is also linked to Olympique de Marseille. However, the Yellow Submarine is counting on their 22-year-old winger for the 2026-2027 season and is not pushing for his departure.

Osasuna is among the clubs that have recently expressed interest. Looking for a winger to bolster their attacking line, the Pamplona club is exploring the possibility of bringing Akhomach in on loan, potentially with an option to buy. Espanyol and Celta Vigo have also reportedly inquired about the situation of the Atlas Lion.

Competition is therefore significant around the Moroccan. Espanyol has notably been monitoring his profile for several weeks and was already considering making a move in the latter part of the transfer window. Olympique de Marseille is also mentioned as a possible destination for Akhomach, in the context of a reorganization of their attacking unit.

On the Villarreal side, the situation is different. The Spanish club has not placed their player on the transfer list and is counting on him as a rotational option, particularly behind Nicolas Pépé on the right flank. Even before the start of preparations, competition was expected to be fierce in this area, with Villarreal having several offensive options on the right.

Akhomach returns from a unique season. After a challenging first half of the season at Villarreal, he was loaned to Rayo Vallecano in January to regain rhythm and more playing time. The loan was concluded without an option to buy, following an extension of his contract with Villarreal. His time at Vallecas allowed him to regain continuity and confidence.

His future may ultimately depend largely on his own wishes. Villarreal wants to keep him and integrate him into their rotation, but they are unlikely to completely close the door if Akhomach favors a project that offers him more playing time. With Osasuna, Espanyol, Celta Vigo, and potentially OM keeping an eye on his situation, the Moroccan international has several options as the transfer window approaches its closure.