Hansi Flick’s praise for Abde Ezzalzouli has reignited discussions regarding a potential return of the Moroccan winger to Barcelona, following his impressive development with Real Betis, where he has become one of their primary attacking weapons.
According to Sport, the German manager’s admiration for the player predates his recent remarks, and Ezzalzouli’s name had previously featured among Barcelona’s alternative options in past transfer windows, though exploratory contacts did not progress beyond that stage.
Speaking about the Moroccan international, Flick said: “He is a great player; I like his style and his self-belief in one-on-one situations”—comments that the newspaper linked to genuine tactical appreciation from the coach regarding the Betis winger’s abilities.
Ezzalzouli reinforced this impression during the teams’ recent encounter, when he scored Betis’s second goal to narrow the deficit to 2-3, finishing off a counter-attack past Joan García, in addition to his movement causing recurring headaches for Jules Koundé down the left flank.
This follows on from the 2025-2026 season, which the 24-year-old concluded with 15 goals in 43 official matches for Betis, including ten in La Liga, confirming his evolution from a winger reliant on dribbling into a much more clinical asset in front of goal.
Barcelona sold Ezzalzouli to Betis in September 2023 for 7.5 million euros, retaining a buy-back clause at the time alongside a 50% sell-on fee, following a spell with the first team and a loan to Osasuna.
However, Vitor Roque’s transfer to Palmeiras altered that equation. Barcelona agreed to waive 30 percentage points of their future sale stake in exchange for Betis terminating the Brazilian striker’s loan, reducing the Catalan club’s remaining sell-on share to 20%.
Furthermore, Ezzalzouli’s buy-back clause expired in the summer of 2025, according to Sport, while his contract with Betis runs until June 2029. This means any attempt to re-sign him would require direct negotiations with the Andalusian club, especially with his estimated market value soaring to 40 million euros.
The newspaper notes that the presence of Karim Adeyemi and Anthony Gordon covers Flick’s current options on the flanks, but his ongoing admiration for Ezzalzouli keeps the prospect of their paths crossing again alive in the future, though discussions have not yet reached the level of a finalized deal.
