Souffian El Karouani on Benfica’s radar... But there’s domestic competition | OneFootball

Souffian El Karouani, left-back for Utrecht, is on Benfica’s radar to strengthen the squad under José Mourinho’s command. The Eagles want to take advantage of the upcoming transfer window to reinforce the Portuguese coach’s options, but they face competition from one of their biggest rivals in Portugal, Porto.

This information was reported by Turkish journalist and transfer market specialist, Ekrem Konur. A post made on his personal account on social network X reveals Benfica’s interest in Souffian El Karouani, with the caveat that the Eagles are not alone in the race.

"The 25-year-old left-back from Utrecht, Souffian El Karouani, is on the radar of Real Betis, Benfica, Porto, Ajax, Feyenoord, and PSV", reports Ekrem Konur. In addition to the Portuguese league, the Club of Light also faces direct competition from Spain and the Netherlands—where the player is currently active.

The Turkish journalist then explains that a transfer during the month of January is an “unlikely” scenario, and that the summer window will be “decisive” for the player’s future. This is not great news for Benfica, who are looking to strengthen the team as early as January for the remainder of the 2025/26 season.

Souffian El Karouani, a Utrecht player who also represents the Moroccan national team, is having a great season in the Netherlands. In 2025/26, playing for the Eredivisie side, the left-back has already played 23 matches, in which he scored three goals and provided 13 assists.

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