Glorioso 1904 exclusive - Benfica land El Karouani, but Wolves plan A | OneFootball

Hugo Bueno was Benfica’s Plan A for left-back. Glorioso 1904 knows, exclusively, that the 23-year-old Spanish defender was the Eagles’ first choice to strengthen the defensive sector, with the Lisbon club even opening formal talks with Wolverhampton.

The left-back, who is on Wolves’ books and coached by César Peixoto, was seen as a priority solution for the position. Benfica tried to move negotiations forward, but the deal ultimately failed to materialize.

Faced with difficulties in signing Hugo Bueno, the Eagles turned to an alternative and found in Soffiane El Karouani their Plan B for the left side of the defense. The Reds’ SAD secured the Moroccan full-back on loan from Al Qadsiah until the end of the season.

The agreement also includes a purchase option believed to be around €10 million. During the loan spell, Benfica and Al Qadsiah will split the player’s wages, in an operation that allowed the Eagles to secure a solution for the position after their move for Hugo Bueno fell through.

So, although El Karouani did end up arriving at the Luz, he was not the first choice of the club’s decision-makers. Hugo Bueno was at the top of the priority list, while the Morocco international emerged as the alternative to strengthen the left-back position.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.