Attacking midfielder from Burkina Faso, Stephane Aziz Ki, who joined Wydad Casablanca last month from Tanzania’s Yanga SC, now finds himself at a crossroads after appearing to be excluded from the plans of the club’s new coach, Mohamed Benhachem.
According to reports from Morocco, Benhachem has not included Aziz Ki in the list of five foreign players he intends to rely on for the upcoming Moroccan Premier League (Botola) season.
League regulations allow each club to register no more than five foreign players. Wydad currently has eight foreign players, meaning some will have to leave or be loaned out.
Aziz Ki, who was expected to be one of Wydad’s key players in their international campaigns, seems to be receiving limited attention from coach Benhachem. In the Club World Cup matches, he played only 7 minutes across two games — a clear sign that he may not be part of the coach’s long-term strategy.
Good news for Yanga fans is that there is a strong possibility that the star midfielder could return to Jangwani. Reports suggest that Yanga and Wydad had agreed on terms for Aziz Ki’s transfer, but a payment is due from Wydad by July 10 to finalize the move. If Wydad fails to meet this condition, Ki could return to Yanga as part of the agreement.
It is worth noting that Aziz Ki’s move to Wydad was initiated by the club’s former coach, Rulani Mokwena, who was impressed by Ki during CAF Champions League matches between Yanga and Mamelodi Sundowns. However, Mokwena left Wydad at the end of the season, leading to a shift in the coaching staff’s direction and creating uncertainty about Ki’s future.
Meanwhile, young Tanzanian player Selemani Mwalimu (19) has avoided being on the list of players likely to be released after being registered as a youth team player. He is therefore not counted among the senior team’s foreign player quota.
Yanga fans eagerly await to see the fate of their former midfielder, who helped the club achieve great success over the past three seasons. Will Aziz Ki return to Jangwani? Time will tell, but the signs suggest the door for his return remains open.
