Several clubs have shown interest in FC Utrecht's 25-year-old player, Souffian El Karouani, including Eintracht Frankfurt. West Ham United, Bologna, FC Porto, and Benfica are also considering adding the left-back to their squads during the winter transfer window. Voetbal International previously reported that there was interest from clubs in the 'subtop of Europe'.
El Karouani has 5 caps for Morocco and is hoping for a January transfer to a bigger club in a larger league. His aim is to improve his chances of being selected for the World Cup squad.
During the summer, Spartak Moscow had also been interested in the player, but a transfer did not occur. In the summer of 2025, Spartak Moscow reportedly made a final offer of €6 million plus bonuses. For other clubs, Utrecht's asking price was cited as being as high as €9-12 million.
El Karouani joined Utrecht in July 2023 and has a contract until June 2026. His current market value on Transfermarkt is €15.00m. This season in the Eredivisie, he has performed strongly, with 2 goals and 9 assists in 15 appearances.
