Benfica take Souffian El Karouani from Al-Qadsiah after three months

Benfica have agreed to sign Morocco left-back Souffian El Karouani on loan from Saudi Pro League club Al-Qadsiah, only three months after he joined the Saudi side.

Al-Qadsiah announced on Tuesday that they had approved El Karouani’s move to the Portuguese club until the end of the current season. The agreement includes an option for Benfica to make the transfer permanent.

Reports previously indicated that Benfica would be able to buy the 25-year-old defender once his loan spell ends for a fee of about 10m euros (£8.5m).

Al-Qadsiah confirmed the departure in a social media post, writing: “Thank you, Souffian .. We wish you success in the future ❤️”.

El Karouani arrived at Al-Qadsiah in June on a three-year contract, joining as a free agent after his deal with Dutch club Utrecht expired. His move to Benfica therefore brings his time in Saudi Arabia to an end after just three months.

The Morocco international’s departure follows reports that he had struggled to adapt to life in Saudi Arabia. Other reports said he had also fallen out of manager Brendan Rodgers’ plans for the new season.

El Karouani was regarded as one of the key emerging talents during his time in the Netherlands. He made 50 appearances for Utrecht last season, scoring four goals and providing 18 assists.

His performances for Utrecht had helped establish him as an attack-minded full-back, before he left the club at the end of his contract and moved to Al-Qadsiah in June.

The loan agreement gives Benfica the opportunity to assess the defender during the remainder of the campaign before deciding whether to activate the purchase clause. If the Portuguese club proceed with a permanent transfer, the fee is expected to be approximately 10m euros.

For Al-Qadsiah, the deal concludes an unusually brief association with a player who had only recently arrived on a long-term contract. For El Karouani, it offers a return to European football after his short spell in the Saudi Pro League.

No further details of the agreement were announced by Al-Qadsiah beyond the length of the loan and the existence of the option to buy.