Monaco Signs Moroccan Talents Benzahra and El Haddani

Monaco have moved quickly to lock in two of Morocco’s brightest youth prospects, handing professional contracts to Safouane Benzahra and Nahil El Haddani after a surge of performances that had rival clubs circling.

The club announced on Tuesday that four players from its academy have signed their first professional deals, a clear signal that the Principality side intends to protect the core of its 2008 generation. The contracts run until 30 June 2029 and cover Moroccans Benzahra and El Haddani, Tunisian-French midfielder Nejd Ajroud and Melvin Gomes Da Veiga.

All four are part of the group that powered Monaco’s under-19s to the semi-finals of the French championship last season, a run that pushed several of them into the spotlight and onto senior radars.

The quartet had already been fast-tracked this summer. As reported by Foot Mercato, they were integrated into Filipe Luís’s squad during pre-season, a first taste of life at a higher level and a strong hint that the club saw them as more than just academy standouts.

For Benzahra, the step has already become reality. The young Moroccan has made his competitive debut for Monaco, featuring in the league clash with Paris Saint-Germain and ticking off a landmark moment far earlier than most of his age-group peers.

Ajroud, El Haddani and Da Veiga are now chasing the same path. With long-term contracts signed and a first-team coach already familiar with their profiles, their challenge is clear: turn academy promise into regular appearances in one of Europe’s most productive talent factories.