Anis Hadj Moussa has apologised to Feyenoord’s coaching staff and squad after a turbulent end to the transfer window, following his failed move to Newcastle.
Newcastle made a formal approach to Feyenoord for the Algeria international during the final days of the summer window, but the Premier League club did not submit a financial offer.
The uncertainty surrounding the 24-year-old’s future affected both his performances and his conduct, according to TeamTalk. Hadj Moussa made clear that he wanted to leave the Dutch club, and was subsequently left out of Feyenoord’s final league matches.
His apology was intended to ease tensions and allow him to return fully to the first-team squad. Feyenoord manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst confirmed in an interview with ESPN that the situation had now been resolved.
Van Bronckhorst said the apology was the only route available to Hadj Moussa if he wanted to regain playing time with the club.
Return to the Champions League squad
The winger was quickly brought back into the group selected for the Champions League. He travelled to Spain for Feyenoord’s match against FC Barcelona at Camp Nou and was immediately named in the starting line-up against the Blaugrana.
Newcastle were not the only club to show interest in Hadj Moussa during the closing stages of the transfer window. Al Ittihad also made approaches, but that proposed move failed to materialise, as reported exclusively by Africafoot.
Hadj Moussa remains under contract with Feyenoord until 2030. The Paris-born player is valued at 23 million euros by Transfermarkt and earns an annual salary of 490 000 euros, equivalent to 318 500 000 FCFA.
The developments bring an end, for now, to a period of uncertainty surrounding the Algeria international, who had been seeking a move away from the Netherlands before the transfer window closed.
Feyenoord’s next fixture is their fifth match of the Dutch league season, against PEC Zwolle. The published odds list Feyenoord as favourites at 1.45, with a draw priced at 5.25 and a PEC Zwolle victory at 5.75.