Sources have confirmed that Neil El Aynaoui's performances during the Africa Cup of Nations attracted the attention of top European clubs, and that Barcelona made enquiries earlier this year. Former Marseille sporting director Mehdi Benatia stated to La Gazzetta dello Sport that he had tried to sign El Aynaoui for Marseille before his move to Italy, but the player was too expensive.

According to El Mundo Deportivo, Neil El Aynaoui dreams of wearing the Barcelona shirt one day. His father, Younes El Aynaoui, stated that for his son, only Barça exists, as he lived there from age 0 to 11. His father added that El Aynaoui would be extremely happy if he one day managed to play for that club.

The Brazilian media OGlobo reports that Barcelona is strongly pursuing Neil El Aynaoui. The player is considered a top priority target for the Catalan club for the next transfer window. El Aynaoui has a reported value of around 20 million euros.

FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and RB Leipzig are monitoring the situation of 24-year-old AS Roma central midfielder Neil El Aynaoui. The Moroccan international has had limited playing time, making 20 appearances in the 2025/2026 Serie A season. El Aynaoui is under contract with Roma until 2030, and the situation could change after the 2026 World Cup.