Once a target of Ajax, Kortrijk’s Algerian magician Abdelkahar Kadri deserves a summer transfer | OneFootball

Kortrijk’s key man Abdelkahar Kadri put in another man of the match performance for the side on Sunday afternoon as he kept their slim chances of Pro League survival alive. The 24-year-old scored one and provided his seventh assist of the season as the side beat Sint Truiden 3-0 away from home. In 27 games this season Kadri has four goals and seven assists. This is his fourth season with Kortrijk and it really should be his last.

In the past the midfielder has been linked with the likes of Ajax and Club Brugge, yet he somehow has remained in Belgium with a struggling Kortrijk side. Last season he scored six goals and grabbed four assists to help Kortrijk beat the drop and this season he is once again doing what he can to help them remain a top flight club. With one year remaining on his contract however, regardless of whether or not the club survive, Kadri needs to move to a bigger club.

One big reason is that he could then force his way into the Algerian national team for the upcoming AFCON in Morocco. Algeria have won the tournament twice, and on both occasions the competition took place in North Africa. Kadri has already been capped by the national team a handful of times but his most recent appearance came back in 2023. Finding a bigger club to perform at should help his cause.

Kortrijk should also look to cash in while they still can. Kadri is highly unlikely to sign a new deal beyond 2026, making this summer the last one in which the club can bring in some money for him. Other sides in Belgium should certainly be interested, but Kadri himself should look to join one of those currently in the top six. Ajax could also return for him in the summer if they still see him fitting into their plans, as he will certainly be cheaper than he was a few seasons ago.

GBeNeFN | Ben Jackson