Neil El Aynaoui's father opens door to Barcelona move for son under Roma contract

Neil El Aynaoui’s father has publicly expressed the wish to see his son join FC Barcelona, in comments reported by Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo. Statements that reopen the question of the future of the Moroccan midfielder, despite being under contract with AS Roma until 2030.

“My son, it’s Barcelona,” said Younes El Aynaoui, a former professional tennis player and ex-world number 13 in the ATP rankings in 2003. “He lived there from birth until age 11. He would be the happiest man in the world if he played there one day.”

These words directly echo statements from Neil El Aynaoui himself, made during his presentation at AS Roma last summer. “As a child, I lived in Barcelona and I was a Barcelona supporter. I was always a big fan of Andrés Iniesta and I always dreamed of wearing that number,” he had said.

At 24 years old, the Moroccan midfielder is going through a period of steady progression. He came to prominence on the European stage during his time at RC Lens, with whom he played in the UEFA Champions League in 2023-24, before joining Roma and is also beginning a promising 2026 World Cup campaign with the Moroccan national team.

Nevertheless, a transfer to Barcelona remains purely hypothetical at this stage. Barcelona’s midfield is already particularly well-stocked, and El Aynaoui has spent only one season in Serie A. His Roma contract still runs until 2030, which makes any scenario of a departure in the short term unlikely — unless a significant offer comes in.