Josh Edwards

Thu 26 March 2026 18:10, UK

Souffian El Karouani has emerged as an early summer transfer target for Leeds United.

Securing their Premier League status ahead of the final seven games of the season will be Leeds’ priority, but once the outcome of that has been determined, recruitment plans will be accelerated.

Assuming the Whites can stay in the top flight, it remains likely that the attacking areas will be the ones prioritised, though Daniel Farke will not turn his nose up if the opportunity to strengthen elsewhere emerges.

And with El Karouani linked with a move to Leeds, that could prove to be one of those scenarios, and they can’t afford to pass up on the chance.

What would Souffian El Karouani bring to Leeds?

Creativity, and lots of it.

Gabriel Gudmundsson has been an excellent signing for the Whites, but his final product has at times been lacking, amplified by the fact that he has just one assist this season.

In comparison, El Karouani has 16 for Utrecht this season, including six in the Europa League.

However, assists are often dependent on teammates finishing the chances that come to them, which may not be a fair reflection of Gudmundsson.

But the number of chances created by him is.

The Swede has created 19 chances in the Premier League this season, with only three of them deemed as big ones.

In comparison, El Karouani has created a remarkable 80 chances in the league, with 14 of them having been deemed as big chances.

He also leads the way in the Eredivisie for crosses completed, with 91, which is signficantly more than Gudmundsson’s 21.

What would this mean for Gabriel Gudmundsson?

Ultimately, not a lot, at least not at the start.

Leeds will need sufficient depth next season, and having two quality left-back options can only be a good thing for Farke.

There’s almost no risk of Leeds losing Gudmundsson, but ensuring he would still get plenty of gametime would need to be on their agenda.

That is the level of quality needed in your squad to progress in the Premier League, as brutal as it can sometimes be for players currently at the club.