Newcastle United are seriously in the race to sign one of the most sought-after wingers in Europe as they look to find a replacement for Anthony Gordon.
Gordon is expected to be unveiled as a Barcelona player on Friday, with Newcastle set to make around £70m from the sale of the England international, who will reportedly double his wages to £300-a-week.
Replacing the influential 25-year-old will not be easy, but Newcastle's chiefs have identified a player who continues to attract huge interest after an impressive season at Real Betis.
Abde Ezzalzouli, who will represent Morocco at the World Cup this summer, recorded 15 goals and 13 assists in 43 appearances for Manuel Pellegrini's side this season.
Betis secured a place in the Champions League for next season thanks, in part, to Ezzalzouli's excellent performances, but it looks like "Los Verdiblancos" could lose their star player, as many clubs are monitoring his situation.
A report from TeamTALK claims that Chelsea's ownership group, BlueCo, is interested in the player, along with Manchester City's City Football Group.
Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig have also been monitoring Ezzalzouli's progress during the season, while Newcastle are said to be in a strong position due to their long-term interest in the player.
The player is also said to be attracted to Newcastle's long-term project, as well as the opportunity to play in the Premier League.
As for his value, Ezzalzouli has a release clause of around £52m, although the aforementioned report suggests Betis would be willing to negotiate.
It should be noted that Barcelona have a 20 percent clause in the future sale of the winger, who joined Real Betis from the Catalan club in 2023.
The 24-year-old Moroccan plays mainly on the left wing, but can also be activated on the right.
In addition to his ability to get past defenders in one-on-one situations, Ezzalzouli has significantly improved his technical and physical qualities in recent years, with his statistics during the 2025/26 season showing his great development.
Betis coach Manuel Pellegrini recently commented on Ezzalzouli's progress over the last two seasons.
"Ezzalzouli has matured and improved a lot because he listens to what he is told and doesn't just insist on his own opinion. I'm very happy for him," he said after Betis' victory over Real Mallorca.
"He is a player with great potential and is very open to accepting criticism and advice to develop his performance on the pitch," he added./Express newspaper/