Moroccan international Bilal Elkhanous, midfielder of the national football team, admitted the difficulties he faced during the recent summer transfer window before moving on loan to German club Stuttgart from Leicester City, which held on to his services for a long time before agreeing to his departure.

Elkhanous said in statements to the official channel of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, on the sidelines of the Atlas Lions camp: “It was a difficult summer for me and my family, but thank God I was finally able to move to a new team. The goal was clear: to find a comprehensive sports project through which I can develop.”

The player added: “This season is very important, especially as it precedes the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2026 World Cup finals. I will strive seriously to improve my level,” he continued, “From now on, the focus will be on preparing for the Africa Cup, then qualifying for the World Cup. Qualifying for the World Cup for the third consecutive time will be a great and historic achievement for us.”

The Moroccan international also expressed his enthusiasm to play the next match on the new stadium’s pitch, saying: “We aim to win the first match we play in this stadium. That will be good for us and for the Moroccan fans.”

Meanwhile, player Shamseddine Talbi expressed his satisfaction with the atmosphere inside the training camp, saying: “The atmosphere is wonderful, and we train under ideal conditions with distinguished players. Everything is going well.”

Talbi concluded his statements by saying: “We are preparing well for the next match, as well as for the Africa Cup finals which are very important. We are working on enhancing the harmony among players, and we hope to deliver a good performance against Niger and achieve victory in an enjoyable atmosphere.”

It is worth noting that the Moroccan national football team started preparations earlier this week for the two decisive matches against the Niger and Zambia teams, as part of the African qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup finals, which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.