Morocco World Cup veteran Cheddira moves on loan again in Serie A

2022 World Cup semifinalist Walid Cheddira completed his second loan move of the 2025-26 season on Thursday after the Moroccan joined Lecce from fellow Italian Serie A side Napoli.

 

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Ever since making a big money move to Napoli ahead of the 2022-23 season, the 28-year-old has spent most of his time on loan. His first move to fellow Serie A side Frosinone went moderately well (7 goals in 36 appearances) but ended in relegation for the club before Cheddira went to Spanish club Espanyol the following season (22 appearances, 1 goal). He spent the first half of the ongoing season on loan at another Serie A club, Sassuolo.

Born in Italy, he spent his early years in amateur football and played in the fourth and third tiers of Italian football before making his breakthrough with Serie B club Bari. His best season came before his transfer to Napoli, when he produced 17 goals and 5 assists in 35 appearances, tied for third most goals in the second tier.

After being limited exclusively to a substitute role with Sassuolo (17 appearances, 1 goal), the Italian-born forward will hope to earn more minutes with Lecce. The Giallorossi are starving for goals, with the worst scoring record in the Serie A this season (13 goals in 21 matches). Cheddira joins a club in the midst of a relegation battle, where they currently sit in 18th place with 17 points.

Due to Cheddira’s struggle for consistent playing time, he has not made an appearance for Morocco since 2023 when he came on as a substitute in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against South Africa. He has six appearances for the Atlas Lions, and made two appearances off the bench during their historic run to fourth place at the 2022 World Cup.