This update focuses on Anass Zaroury joins Columbus. Moroccan international Anass Zaroury has joined Major League Soccer side Columbus Crew on loan, opening a new chapter in a career already marked by several moves across Europe.
Anass Zaroury joins Columbus Crew on a long loan
The 25-year-old attacking midfielder arrives at Columbus Crew on loan from Greek club Panathinaikos. According to the American club, Anass Zaroury will stay in Ohio until the end of the 2027 MLS season.
Columbus holds an option to make the move permanent, meaning the partnership could extend well beyond the initial loan period. Anass Zaroury joins Columbus Crew at a time when the MLS is attracting more and more players with European experience.
Strong European experience before moving to MLS
Before heading to the United States, Zaroury built up solid experience at Panathinaikos. He played 50 matches in all competitions for the Greek club, scoring eight goals and providing four assists. One of his standout performances was a hat-trick against Swiss side Young Boys in the Europa League in September 2025.
Born in Mechelen, Belgium, Zaroury began his professional career at Lommel, then moved to Sporting Charleroi. In 2022, he signed for Burnley in England and helped the club win promotion to the Premier League. Over three seasons with Burnley, he played 49 matches, scored 10 goals and delivered nine assists, including a loan spell at Hull City.
The Moroccan winger also spent the 2024/25 season in France with RC Lens. There, he made 28 appearances, scoring two goals and providing three assists, confirming his ability to adapt to different European leagues.
A Morocco international now based in North America
After representing Belgium at youth level, Zaroury decided to commit his senior international future to Morocco. He made his debut for the Atlas Lions in November 2022 in a match against Georgia.
He was part of the historic Moroccan squad that reached the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Anass Zaroury took part in the third-place play-off and currently has four caps for Morocco.
For Moroccans living in North America, the fact that Anass Zaroury joins Columbus Crew offers a new opportunity to support a Morocco international in a stadium close to home, without travelling back to Europe.
A technical profile to boost Columbus Crew’s attack
Columbus Crew’s general manager, Issa Tall, described Zaroury as a “technical and audacious” player. The club expects him to bring extra creativity and European know-how to the squad.
With this signing, Columbus continues to strengthen its attacking options with players trained in Europe. For Moroccan fans, both in the country and abroad, the move of Anass Zaroury to the MLS will be another storyline to follow in a league that is gaining visibility year after year.
- Loan from Panathinaikos until the end of the 2027 MLS season
- Purchase option in favour of Columbus Crew
- Experience in Belgium, England, France and Greece
- Morocco international since November 2022
As this case Crew, many Moroccan supporters in the United States and Canada will now be able to follow his progress up close in American stadiums over the coming seasons.
For more context, readers can follow Canal212 news for Moroccans abroad.
For official updates, readers can check the relevant official source.
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