Scout reveals he was watching rising star for Nottingham Forest – Mahrez comparisons will hurt

Nottingham Forest scout Chérif Oudjani tracked Hadj Moussa in Belgium years ago; the Feyenoord winger is now valued at €28m with interest from Newcastle and Liverpool.

Anis Hadj Moussa has become one of Europe's rising talents at Feyenoord, where he has scored 32 goals and provided 15 assists in 97 appearances since joining for €3.5m in 2024. The 24-year-old winger has attracted attention from top clubs, including Liverpool (when Arne Slot was interested) and Newcastle United, who pursued him heavily in August.

Notably, Nottingham Forest had an early eye on the player through scout Chérif Oudjani, who was monitoring Hadj Moussa during his time in Belgium before his move to the Netherlands. Oudjani told Africa Foot: "I know him well; back when he was younger and I was working for Nottingham Forest, I was already scouting him during his time in Belgium."

Analysts now compare Hadj Moussa to Riyad Mahrez, praising his technical ability, left-footed skill on the right flank, and set-piece quality. He is valued at €28m by Transfermarkt and is expected to move to a top-five European league in the summer transfer window, potentially leaving Forest to rue their missed opportunity.