Hamburger SV have moved to strengthen at right wing-back by signing Zakaria El Ouahdi from Genk. The Morocco international arrives after a standout 2025/26 season in Belgium, and he will be available for selection for HSV's Matchday 2 home game against Mainz on Sunday.
Hamburg's right wing-back fix
The move comes after the summer departures of William Mikelbrencis and Giorgi Gocholeishvili left Hamburg short in that position. That problem was visible straight away when they lost 2-0 to Borussia Dortmund on Matchday 1.
Hamburg will give El Ouahdi the No. 7 shirt, a small detail but an early sign they expect him to matter quickly. The club are also getting a player who was a regular at Genk, not a squad option waiting for minutes.
El Ouahdi's numbers at Genk
El Ouahdi made 34 league appearances for Genk in the 2025/26 campaign. He also recorded eight goals and five assists, which is a sharp return for a right-back and goes some way to explaining why Hamburg moved for him.
Kathleen Krüger, Hamburg's board member for sport, said: "Zaka has had an impressive career path. He worked his way up from Belgian amateur football to professional and Moroccan international, and in recent years was one of Genk's key players."
She added: "He achieved this through his own efforts, which impressively demonstrates his ambition and potential for development. Now he's taking the leap to the Bundesliga and wants to take the next step at HSV. We look forward to embarking on this journey together and warmly welcome Zaka."
El Ouahdi's rise has been quick. He spent three seasons at Genk after joining from Molenbeek in 2023, earned a Morocco call-up in September 2025 and was included in the squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026. He also made a substitute appearance in Morocco's quarter-final defeat by France in Boston, where he played 21 minutes.
For Hamburg, the appeal is clear enough. They needed cover on the right, and they have brought in a player who combines output, international experience and room to keep developing. Mainz now get the first look at him on Sunday.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
