Mohamed Ihattaren is at risk of missing a transfer and may have to start the season with Fortuna Sittard. The 24-year-old midfielder wanted to take a new step this summer, but concrete interest from other clubs has failed to materialise, as reported by footballtransfers.com this week.
Fortuna Sittard currently sits eighth in the Eredivisie with four points from three matches. The team has scored five goals and conceded five. Their next challenge is an away fixture against ADO Den Haag on September 6th.
Why did Ihattaren want to leave?
Mohamed Ihattaren joined from RKC Waalwijk in the summer of 2025 after their relegation to the Keuken Kampioen Divisie. He immediately had a strong first half-season with Fortuna. Across the entire 2025/26 campaign, he played 30 matches, scoring six goals and providing eleven assists. After that season, the creative player stated he was ready for a logical next step. "It is important that I take another step forward next year." Ihattaren said. The club was open to a departure, but not on a free transfer.
Which clubs were linked?
There were rumours earlier this summer linking him with several Eredivisie clubs. Ihattaren himself expressed interest in a move to Feyenoord. That transfer, however, is not happening. AZ has also ruled out signing the player. FC Twente was mentioned as well, but that club did not follow up on the interest. According to technical director Joris Mathijsen, simply no club has registered interest. "At the moment, Mo is training fully with us," Mathijsen told footballtransfers.com. As a result, the rumours have significantly cooled.
What does this mean for Fortuna Sittard?
The situation has direct consequences for the squad planning of manager Danny Buijs. Ihattaren is training fully and focusing on getting fit. His contract runs until mid-2027. If he stays longer, a winter transfer could be the best financial solution for the club, although Fortuna would prefer to avoid that. To prevent a free transfer later, a contract extension would be necessary. The club is five points behind leaders AZ Alkmaar and needs to pick up points in the coming weeks to stay in the top half, which you can follow on our standings page.
What does the immediate future hold?
With most transfer deadlines closing within a few days, it appears very likely that Ihattaren will spend at least the start of the season with Fortuna Sittard. A move would then probably be postponed until the winter window. For the player, this means he must now fully focus on his on-field performances. Fortuna has had a balanced start with a win, draw, and loss (WDL). The coming weeks, visible on our fixtures page, will show if the team can convert the productivity of players like Ihattaren into more points. His presence remains a fact for the squad, which you can view in our squad overview.
