Is Azzedine Ounahi’s Atletico Madrid transfer a joke mistaken for a scoop ?

News about Moroccan international player Azzedine Ounahi's transfer to Spanish club Atletico Madrid has gone viral on social media. The claim was initially published by an account named Fabrisio Romanio, a well-known Italian journalist specializing in football transfers.

«Azzedine Ounahi will join Atletico Madrid, done deal and here we go!» wrote the account, using the famous catchphrase of the Italian journalist.

«Full agreement reached with Olympic Marseille, fee is €6.99m plus €2.99m add-ons and a sell-on clause», claimed the same account. «Ounahi has agreed to personal terms as the new Atletico Madrid player until June 2028», it added.

A joke mistaken for a scoop

Sports news groups and accounts quickly circulated the news on social media. Moroccan sports radio station «Radio Mars» also quoted the news, with one of its journalists describing the transfer as «very good» and noting that the Italian journalist Fabrisio Romanio is «an insider and a reliable source».

? ???????? !

Radio Mars, la radio sportive numéro 1 au Maroc, s’est fait piéger par un faux tweet d’un compte imitant Fabrizio Romano, annonçant à tort le transfert de Ounahi à l’Atletico Madrid ! ???

pic.twitter.com/yKwOo3wKWI

— Joueurs Marocains ?? (@JoueursMA) July 17, 2024

However, upon closer inspection, it turned out that the account that published the supposed transfer of Ounahi is satirical. The well-known Italian journalist did not mention anything about Ounahi’s transfer on his official account. Additionally, Ounahi’s current club Marseille had listed him among the players they wanted to offload.

This rumor coincides with news from the French newspaper «L'Equipe», which indicated that Olympique Marseille, in cooperation with the technical staff led by the new Italian coach, has placed the 24-year-old Moroccan international on the list of players to be sold. The management aims to benefit financially from Ounahi’s transfer to fund new signings, as requested by the new coach.

Ounahi had moved to Marseille in January 2023 from French club Angers in a deal worth 10 million euros, with a four-year contract.