Adam Aznou is closing in on his Bayern Munich debut. - © IMAGO/Eibner-Pressefoto/Thomas Thienel

bundesliga

Adam Aznou: Who is the 17-year-old on the brink of his Bayern Munich debut?

22.02.2024

Adam Aznou has been a regular feature on the Bayern Munich bench in recent weeks as Thomas Tuchel’s men continue their quest for a 12th consecutive Bundesliga title. But who is the 17-year-old Moroccan on the brink of a Bayern debut? bundesliga.com gives you the lowdown…

Data correct as of 22 February 2024

Adam Aznou

Age: 17 (born 2 June 2006)
Club: Bayern Munich
Position: left-back/left-winger
Country: Morocco (3 youth caps)

Key stats

Born in Barcelona, Aznou’s first taste of organized football was with CF Damm, a Catalan youth club that, instead of also having a senior side, concentrates on developing young players and looks to help them join professional outfits should they have the required talent. In Aznou's case, it was clear from a young age that he possessed bags of ability. Therefore, his move to local, Spanish and worldwide giants Barcelona, which eventually arrived in 2019 when he was 13, was always inevitable.

At the Blaugrana’s famed La Masia academy, Aznou honed his skills. However, in the summer of 2022, he chose to seek pastures new after failing to agree a new contract, and Der Rekordmeister were ready to pounce. The new recruit immediately linked up with the U17s, scoring twice and providing two assists in nine appearances. He was promoted to the U19s at the start of this campaign and continued to shine, netting three strikes in 19 games as well as four assists, including three in seven UEFA Youth League outings.

A call-up to Bayern’s second team followed, with Aznou making his professional debut in a 1-0 defeat to Greuther Fürth II. By that point, he had already been named amongst the substitutes for the senior squad as Tuchel dealt with a number of injuries, with his first inclusion in the matchday squad coming on 27 January 2024 against Augsburg.

Eligible to represent the country of his birth or Morocco through his parents, Aznou initially played for the latter at U15 level before switching allegiances. However, after nine games for Spain’s U16s and U17s, he returned to the Atlas Lions’ set-up and featured for their U17s in 2023.

Adam Aznou made his professional debut for Bayern Munich II against Greuther Fürth II. - IMAGO/Sven Leifer

Plays a bit like… Raphael Guerreiro

There is plenty of competition for the left-back spot at Bayern, but should Guerreiro ever be unavailable, Aznou’s profile means he would slot in seamlessly for the Portugal international. Both players are particularly comfortable going forward and are able to bring teammates into play with pinpoint passes and crosses.

Just like Guerreiro, his younger teammate likes to cut inside and occasionally slot into central midfield. Aznou could add a few more goals to his game, but he certainly has the raw talent to succeed at the highest level.

Did you know?

Aznou will have to improve his discipline now he is mixing it with the big boys. In 29 youth appearances for Bayern, he has picked up 10 yellow cards, as well as one red. More control will surely come with experience, though.

Adam Aznou's style of play is similar to that of Raphael Guerreiro. - IMAGO/Revierfoto

What they are saying

"Adam is a creative winger with a lot of offensive drive. He is quick, technically adept, strong and provides good crosses. We are convinced that he will strengthen our junior teams and, above all, of his further development potential." Bayern Campus Sporting Director, Holger Seitz

"FC Bayern tried very hard to look after me. I’m really happy about this move and am looking forward to being able to continue my training at this big club." Aznou after signing for Bayern

“It's not just what we saw from them here, but also during the entire training week. What the boys brought to the pitch was pretty good. Everyone is giving everything.” Manuel Neuer discussing the youngsters, one of whom was Aznou, who were part of Bayern’s mid-season training camp in Faro.