Raja Casablanca and Orkuma Locked in Contract Standoff Ahead of Winter Window

Raja Casablanca find themselves embroiled in a contract dispute with Nigerian midfielder Moses Orkuma as the winter transfer window approaches its January deadline. The Moroccan heavyweights have been unable to reach an agreement with the player over fresh terms, leaving the midfielder’s future at the club in doubt.

Orkuma, who has been part of the Raja squad, has reportedly been in talks with the club regarding a contract extension, but negotiations have stalled amid disagreements over key clauses and conditions. This impasse has forced both parties to reassess their positions as the window draws closer to its close on January 31.

The situation places Raja in a delicate position, as they balance concerns about squad stability with the need to strengthen the team during the currently extended transfer period. Any unresolved contract conflict could see Orkuma depart on a free transfer at the end of his deal, a scenario the club is keen to avoid given his contributions on the field.

The winter transfer window in the Botola Pro (Morocco’s top flight) runs throughout January, offering clubs a final chance to register new players and resolve contract disputes before teams enter the second half of their season’s campaign.

EDITORIAL

Football’s transfer theatre is rarely as dramatic as the spotlights and headlines might suggest yet within its margins lie narratives of negotiation, uncertainty and the unseen levers that shape careers. The contract standoff between Raja Casablanca and Moses Orkuma is emblematic of this quieter drama a saga of mutual need caught between differing valuations of talent, timing and ambition.

Orkuma’s situation is not merely contractual it is existential. For a player, the decision to commit to a club is bound up with confidence in one’s role, the rhythm of performance, and the assurance of opportunity. Conversely, for Raja  a club navigating both domestic expectations and continental aspirations the calculus involves not just retaining a valuable midfielder, but doing so on terms that align with strategy and sustainability.

The beauty of football lies in its imperfections, in those moments off the pitch that ripple onto it. When a contract negotiation falters, we glimpse the business underpinnings of sport budgets, benchmarks, leverage and the oft-uncomfortable reality that players are both human and commodities within a volatile market.

Yet there is also a poetry in resolution. Should the parties find common ground, it could reinforce Raja’s stability and offer Orkuma a platform to flourish further. Should they not, his departure while regrettable — could afford both player and club opportunities elsewhere. In this way, the standoff ahead of the winter window is less a rupture than a crucible a test of ambition, pragmatism and the enduring belief that football is, at heart, a game of calculated risk.

DID YOU KNOW?

1. Raja Casablanca recently strengthened their squad in the winter window, signing Moroccan international Aymen Barkok to bolster midfield options.
2. Another winter signing for Raja was Jordanian winger Mohamed Abu Zraiq, brought in as part of efforts to improve the club’s attacking output.
3. The Botola Pro transfer window for 2025–26 has been extended until January 31, giving clubs extra time to complete moves and resolve contract issues.
4. Raja faced past off-field challenges, including a previous FIFA sanction risk tied to unpaid player dues, which could have seen the club prohibited from transfers.
5. Moses Orkuma originally joined Raja Casablanca as a free agent, with his signing recorded in the club’s list of summer 2025 additions.