Zakaria Bakkali

AngeloHenriquez

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Zakaria Bakkali (born 26 January 1996) is a Belgian footballer of Moroccan descent who currently plays for the Dutch club PSV Eindhoven. He has also been selected for the Belgium national football team. He is most famous for becoming the youngest Eredivisie of all-time to score a hat-trick, at the age of 17 years and 196 days.

He tends to play as a winger, but is effective in the hole, stats for this season is 4 goals in 20 apps, so 20% goal return for his first season on the wing. During his brief International career to date, he has played in the Belgium team at each level, making only recent senior appearance. Prior to this, he had a 1 goal in 2 game over the 20 games he played for U-17/U-20 level.

It would seem Liverpool & Real Madrid are the clubs mainly linked, but I'd love us to go for him.

Liverpool preparing bid to beat Arsenal and Real Madrid to PSV starlet Zakaria Bakkali (Article Below)

Reports in Holland suggest that Liverpool are serious suitors for the 18-year-old and may now lead the race to sign Bakkali.

Bakkali is stalling over signing a new contract at PSV and the Dutch club are growing increasingly concerned that they may lose another prospect at the end of the season.

PSV are furiously trying to convince Bakkali's aunt and uncle - who act as his agents - that his development will be better served by staying put but a host of big clubs, including Liverpool, Real Madrid and Arsenal, beg to differ.

PSV's case has not been strengthen by Bakkali's lack of regular playing time this season and the wonderkid has made just seven starts in the Eredivisie this term.

However, it is thought that Brendan Rodgers has sent scouts to watch Bakkali on several occasions and has been impressed with the reports he has received.

Reports last month suggested that Arsenal were also very keen on Bakkali.

An unnamed PSV source told Dutch media: "Bakkali is a player that Wenger rates highly.

"Arsenal have kept an eye on him and are aware that other teams want him, so could move in the summer to buy him."

Indeed, it seems Liverpool may now be on the verge of stealing the young talent away from their London rivals.
 

Rozay

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He's already a full international for Belgium. Came through in the same PSV youth team as Andreas Pereira.
 

limerickcitykid

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He was all teenage fifa hipsters favourite player after his hat-trick. Haven't heard much about him since.

We should send Andreas on loan to play their next year.
 

AngeloHenriquez

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He's fantastic in FIFA 14.
:lol: Nailed on future star then
He's already a full international for Belgium. Came through in the same PSV youth team as Andreas Pereira.
Yes, mentioned in the OP he had recently been called up for his first cap, I don't think he'll make any more appearances at a lesser level, I think he would be involved in the XI from here on.
 

Rozay

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:lol: Nailed on future star then

Yes, mentioned in the OP he had recently been called up for his first cap, I don't think he'll make any more appearances at a lesser level, I think he would be involved in the XI from here on.
He's still a way off the first XI I think. The decision to call him up when they did was largely to avoid a Januzaj situation as he qualifies for Morroco I believe. He will unlikely play ahead of the likes of Mirallas, Mertens, Hazard and De Bruyne.
 

AngeloHenriquez

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He's still a way off the first XI I think. The decision to call him up when they did was largely to avoid a Januzaj situation as he qualifies for Morroco I believe. He will unlikely play ahead of the likes of Mirallas, Mertens, Hazard and De Bruyne.
I don't see why Mertens or De Bruyne would be any further ahead? especially when their ceiling (And IMO Mirallas too) is below Bakkali's, he has it all to prove obviously.
 

Joemo

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I don't see why Mertens or De Bruyne would be any further ahead? especially when their ceiling (And IMO Mirallas too) is below Bakkali's, he has it all to prove obviously.
Because they're better players than he currently is.
 

JaffyJoe

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He rated very highly by people who I respect. He would be an excellent pick up for any team that gets him. Hopefully not Liverpool. We wanted him too but he stayed at PSV.
 

Rozay

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I don't see why Mertens or De Bruyne would be any further ahead? especially when their ceiling (And IMO Mirallas too) is below Bakkali's, he has it all to prove obviously.
That remains to be seen. Mertens and De Bruyne are better now, and nobody knows how good Bakkali will become. De Bruyne is a fantastic player for a start.
 

Dirty Schwein

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I was gonna post about this guy but most YouTube reels of him show him missing shots
 

Ainu

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I don't see why Mertens or De Bruyne would be any further ahead? especially when their ceiling (And IMO Mirallas too) is below Bakkali's, he has it all to prove obviously.
Both Mertens and De Bruyne are miles ahead of Bakkali, whose whole reputation is based on a single game so far, where he scored that hattrick. Bakkali could become a very good player, but he could just as easily become a nothing player. He wouldn't be the first talented player to do so. Compare that to Mertens, who is a regular starter in a strong Napoli side and De Bruyne who, together with Courtois, played a key role to make Genk Belgian champions at a very young age and was instrumental during Belgium's qualifying campaign.

Mirallas is another matter, he has decent ability but he's infuriatingly brainless on the pitch. Not someone to rely on.
 

DWelbz19

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Got a bit of an attitude issue I heard.
 

Henrik Larsson

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Got a bit of an attitude issue I heard.
He most certainly has, based on his behavior this season. He's very young though, so I don't know how he will develop mentally.

Looked like a very promising young dribbler, scored some great goals aged 17. Does seem to suffer from the Nani syndrome, meaning that he not really scores high on the 'vision' and 'team sport' parts of the game we call football. Makes me so happy we have Adnan who's incredibly intelligent.

Bakkali is pretty fast, but not Theo Walcott or Aaron Lennon fast I think.

Got substituted last week after 10 minutes in Ji Sung Parks testimonial game at PSV, because the coach thought he looked like not giving a damn, got instructed to track back and play seriously, but refused to do so.

Loads of speculation already on whether he wants to stay at PSV, problems with negotiating new contract, and I don't know if he has more raw potential then Depay for example.
 

DWelbz19

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Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Man Utd alerted as midfielder REJECTS new contract


http://www.express.co.uk/sport/foot...td-alerted-as-midfielder-REJECTS-new-contract
It's on gone a bit pear shaped for him, according to my friend who is a PSV fan. He says the player has been demoted back to PSV Jong (youth team) and has had about four different agents in the past months, being let go and falling out with most of them. He's also been throwing his toys out the pram due to not getting game time. I don't think I'd want him here, he just screams trouble.
 

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Scored an amazing hatrick on his PSV debut last season.

The last goal was a lot like this Zidane goal.
 
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Redo91

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Strange how it's gone for him. Seemed to be flying last year. Surely even he refused to sign a new contract PSV would just play him anyway? Not much good to them with him stuck in the reserves and he is hardly going to sign a new deal at this stage. They might as well make the most of him while they can.
 

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Freebie on FM at the end of the season and always get him. Therefore.... sign him.
 

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Strange how it's gone for him. Seemed to be flying last year. Surely even he refused to sign a new contract PSV would just play him anyway? Not much good to them with him stuck in the reserves and he is hardly going to sign a new deal at this stage. They might as well make the most of him while they can.
And send the message that any player can feck them around without risk of losing their place in the team? I don't think so. He's talented but PSV have a number of talented players and don't have to be held to ransom by some teenager throwing a wobbly.
 

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I would imagine after a few years he would become another great example after Morrison about how a great talent could f*ck up their career.Still earlier days for him though.