Bayer Leverkusen showed interest in Zakaria El Ouahdi but then pursued other options.

According to Kicker, Zakaria El Ouahdi is a top candidate for Bayer Leverkusen as the club seeks to reinforce its right side. Genk reportedly wants around twenty million euros for El Ouahdi, who is under contract until mid-2028. No official bid has been made yet.

Bayer Leverkusen has identified KRC Genk's Zakaria El Ouahdi as a target for the right side, as the club is looking for a more attack-minded player. The 24-year-old Moroccan international right-back's contract runs until 2028. He has previously attracted interest from other German clubs, including VfL Wolfsburg last summer and VfB Stuttgart in January. It is said that whether Bayer will actively pursue a transfer for El Ouahdi depends on the final outcome of Facundo Medina's potential transfer. El Ouahdi, who has four caps for Morocco, joined Genk in September 2023 for a fee reported to be €2.5 million. His current Transfermarkt market value is €17.00m. Crystal Palace, Everton, and Roma are among several other clubs that have also recently been linked with him. Genk's asking price has been the subject of multiple reports. In April 2026, the club reportedly rejected an offer from Brentford of €15 million plus €6 million in bonuses while seeking a guaranteed €25 million. Reports in July 2026 valued the player at around €15 million.