Neil El Aynaoui Set to Join AS Roma in €25m Deal

AS Roma will sign Moroccan midfielder Neil El Aynaoui from RC Lens. The transfer will cost €23.5 million, with another €1.5 million in bonus payments. El Aynaoui has agreed to a five-year contract that will keep him with the club until June 2030, and he will travel to Rome for his medical exam as reported.

WHAT HAPPENED?

After weeks of negotiating, RC Lens finally accepted Roma‘s latest offer for Neil El Aynaoui. In addition to the transfer fee, Roma will keep a share of any future transfer fees for El Aynaoui. RC Lens initially hoped to keep the midfielder, but Rome’s offer was too tempting to refuse. El Aynaoui joined Lens in 2023, and he quickly became a reliable presence in the midfield. He will now continue his career in Serie A, strengthening Roma’s squad for the new season according to reports.

SEASON CONTEXT AND TEAM PERFORMANCE

AS Roma finished the 2024-25 Serie A season in fifth place, qualifying for the Europa League as confirmed. Recent results gave some promise, but Roma needed more midfield control, which El Aynaoui can provide. Meanwhile, RC Lens missed out on European qualification by finishing seventh in Ligue 1. El Aynaoui was one of Lens’s top performers, appearing in 31 league matches, scoring three goals, and providing five assists as per previous reports.

LOOKING AHEAD

El Aynaoui should complete his medical and sign his contract with Roma soon, ahead of Roma’s first fixture of the new Serie A season against Bologna. Bologna finished last season in 9th place but were the surprise winners of the Coppa Italia, beating AC Milan in the final and could be Roma’s first European spot rival of the season. Supporters will hope El Aynaoui can adapt quickly and help Roma finish higher in the league, as well as progress further in Europe. For RC Lens, the challenge is now to replace their midfielder ahead of their Ligue 1 opener against Lyon, a side that qualified for European football last season.