Taha Mejni Joins Crystal Palace: A New Chapter for the Young Defender
Taha Mejni’s leap from Rabat to south London is the kind of move that can change a career – and, if Crystal Palace are right, reshape a defence.
The Premier League club have secured the highly rated Moroccan defender from Ittihad Touarga, a teenager whose résumé already reads like someone far older than his 18 years.
From Excellence Cup to England
Mejni came through the youth ranks at Ittihad Touarga and stepped into senior football in June 2025, thrown into the heat of an Excellence Cup semi-final against Wydad Fez. Touarga won, and a first glimpse of a composed, aggressive defender had arrived.
Since then, he has quietly built a serious body of work. Palace describe him as “a versatile player capable of playing at centre-back or right-back,” and the numbers back that up: 17 senior appearances for the Moroccan club, 15 of them last season, with 13 starts. Not a prospect in theory. A regular in reality.
That blend of versatility and early responsibility is exactly what caught Palace’s eye.
A world champion at 17
If his club form put him on the radar, his international exploits underlined the scale of the talent.
At just 17, Mejni was part of Morocco’s historic Under-20 World Cup triumph in Chile last year, a landmark moment as the North African side lifted the title for the first time. The route to glory was no soft run either. Morocco went through Brazil, Spain, France and Argentina. Mejni lived that gauntlet and came out with a winner’s medal.
His rise has not slowed. He has already stepped up to Morocco’s Under-23s, featuring in two internationals in March, including a start in a 2-2 draw with Ivory Coast. Different age group, same trust from his coaches.
Palace’s plan for a “multi-talented” defender
Crystal Palace are not hiding how they see him. In their announcement, they relayed how Mejni “describes himself as a defender with technical qualities who also enjoys the physical side of the game,” a profile that fits neatly with the club’s recent recruitment drive for aggressive, ball-playing defenders.
He will join Darren Powell’s Under-21 side, with a full schedule ahead: Premier League 2, the Premier League International Cup and the EFL Trophy. That pathway has become a proving ground at Palace, a bridge between academy promise and first-team reality.
Palace academy director Gary Issott underlined the confidence inside the club. “Taha enjoyed an excellent 25-26 season and gained valuable experience in the Moroccan first division, and he helped Morocco win the Under-20 World Cup at just 17 years old,” he said, before summing up why Palace moved: “He is a multi-talented defender who impressed us with his performances, and we believe Crystal Palace is the right environment for him to continue his development. Welcome, Taha!”
For a club that has built a reputation on polishing raw talent, Mejni fits the model perfectly.
“A new adventure” and an emotional farewell
The player himself did not hide the scale of the step he is taking.
“Crystal Palace is one of the biggest clubs in the Premier League and around the world,” Mejni said after signing. “They have achieved a great deal in recent years, so I am very excited to begin this new adventure with the club.”
Before turning fully to that adventure, he closed a chapter with notable maturity. On Instagram, he penned a long, heartfelt goodbye to Ittihad Touarga, the club that shaped him.
“After 5 wonderful years, the time has come for me to begin a new and important chapter in my life,” he wrote, before thanking the club “for its trust in me, for the opportunities it gave me, and for all the memories that helped me grow, both on and off the pitch.”
He reserved special words for those inside the dressing room. “Many thanks to my team-mates and friends. We shared unforgettable moments, and some of you became like brothers to me.”
The message ended with a line that captured both pride and ambition: “I leave feeling a great deal of gratitude, pride and beautiful memories. Thank you for everything, Ittihad Tanger. I will always be proud to have worn these colours. A new page opens, but the story continues. Forever grateful.”
The geography might be slightly blurred in that final sign-off, but the sentiment is crystal clear. Mejni leaves Morocco with respect, roots and a winner’s mentality.
Now comes the hard part. A new country, a new league, a new standard. Palace believe they have found a defender who can grow with all of that. How quickly he turns promise into Premier League presence will be one of the more intriguing subplots in their next few seasons.
