Neil El Aynaoui Transfer Interest Grows as Liverpool and Manchester United Watch Roma Midfielder

Roma midfielder earns Premier League attention

Credit to TEAMtalk for the original information, with Roma midfielder Neil El Aynaoui now emerging as a name of genuine Premier League interest.

The 25-year-old has caught the eye during Morocco’s impressive 2026 World Cup campaign, with Liverpool and Manchester United both reportedly impressed by his defensive discipline and athleticism.

El Aynaoui only joined Roma last year, arriving from RC Lens for €23.5m plus add-ons. In his first season in Italy, he made 34 competitive appearances, scoring twice and adding two assists.

Morocco form changes transfer picture

International tournaments have a habit of speeding up transfer conversations. They take a player admired by scouts and place him in front of everyone else.

Morocco held Brazil to a 1-1 draw, beat Scotland and Haiti, then knocked the Netherlands out on penalties. El Aynaoui has been central to that run, offering energy, positional intelligence and calm in midfield.

That profile explains why Liverpool would be watching. The club have consistently valued midfielders who can cover ground, read danger early and help control transitions.

Manchester United’s interest also makes sense, given their continuing search for balance and authority in central areas.

Gasperini still shaping El Aynaoui

Gian Piero Gasperini has said that El Aynaoui has great potential, but that he is still moulding the player to fit his vision of football.

That matters. El Aynaoui is not yet the finished article. He is still being refined, still adapting, still learning how to impose himself within a demanding tactical structure.

Roma would not hold the Moroccan back if he was the subject of a big money offer, according to the report. That leaves the door slightly open, even if any deal would surely need to reflect his rising value.

Liverpool must judge timing carefully

For Liverpool, this feels like the sort of move that depends on timing. El Aynaoui has quality, presence and the sort of athletic profile that travels well to English football.

He would not arrive as a guaranteed starter. He would arrive as a player with room to grow, shaped by Serie A discipline and sharpened by World Cup pressure.

That can be a powerful combination.

Our View, Anfield Index Analysis

From a Liverpool fan’s perspective, El Aynaoui is exactly the kind of name that makes you lean forward slightly. Not because he is the most glamorous midfielder on the market, but because he feels like the sort of player who could make sense once you dig beneath the surface.

There is always danger in judging a player too heavily on tournament football. A World Cup can make everyone look brighter under the lights. Still, Morocco’s run has shown something useful about El Aynaoui. He can handle pressure, he can stay disciplined in difficult games and he looks physically capable of coping with elite tempo.

For Liverpool, the question is not simply whether he is good. The question is whether he fits the squad build. If the club want another midfielder who can protect space, compete physically and offer tactical flexibility, then he deserves a place on the list.

The Roma angle is interesting too. If Gasperini still sees him as a developing player, there may be a decision to make. Cash in now after a strong World Cup, or keep moulding him into something bigger.

Liverpool have been burned before by waiting too long on midfield profiles. El Aynaoui may not be the headline act, but he could be the smart one.