Villarreal has expressed interest in Gessime Yassine, a 20-year-old Dunkerque winger with Moroccan and French citizenship, and is one of several interested clubs. Other clubs that have shown interest include AS Monaco and RC Strasbourg in Ligue 1, while in Germany, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Werder Bremen, and the Red Bull group have also made advances. The Morocco U20 international, who has 16 caps and 4 goals, has recorded 1 goal and 6 assists in 12 appearances during the current Ligue 2 season, where he has impressed. Negotiations between the various interested clubs have commenced and are progressing rapidly, with the situation expected to be resolved in early January. The transfer fee could reach 6 million euros, an amount that is his current value according to Transfermarkt, and is influenced by competition for him from French and German clubs. It was reported that an offer from Fenerbahçe was rejected in October 2025. Yassine's contract runs until June 2027. He and his representatives are said to prioritize the sporting project and have a preference for a move within Ligue 1.