# Youssef El-Arabi (يوسف العربي)
**Youssef El-Arabi** (يوسف العربي; born 1987) is a Moroccan-French professional footballer who plays as a striker, known for a goalscoring career that has run through France, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Qatar, Greece, and Cyprus.[1](https://www.fotmob.com/players/161291/youssef-el-arabi) • [2](https://african.football/marko-add-veteran-forward-youssef-el-arabi-on-free-deal/) A right-footed forward standing 1.83 m tall, he is best known for long spells at Granada, Al Duhail, and Olympiacos, and he returned to French football with [FC Nantes](https://www.edgepedia.org/fc-nantes) in 2025, fourteen years after leaving SM Caen.[1](https://www.fotmob.com/players/161291/youssef-el-arabi) • [3](https://ligue1.com/en/articles/l1_article_2899-)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1987; right-footed striker, 1.83 m[1](https://www.fotmob.com/players/161291/youssef-el-arabi) • [2](https://african.football/marko-add-veteran-forward-youssef-el-arabi-on-free-deal/) |
| Granada (2012–2016) | 44 league goals in 130 matches; Granada's all-time leading scorer in La Liga with 44 goals in 130 games[4](https://as.com/futbol/2016/05/30/primera/1464631859_502699.html) • [5](https://as.com/futbol/2016/02/29/primera/1456749724_449411.html) • [10](https://www.granadacf.es/noticias/el-arabi-maximo-goleador-del-granada-cf-en-primera-division) |
| Al Duhail (2016–2019) | 76 goals in 60 Qatar Stars League matches, including 26 in each of the 2017/18 and 2018/19 seasons[6](https://theanalyst.com/players/6513/youssef-el-arabi/career) |
| Olympiacos (2019–2024) | 68 goals in 148 league matches; three Greek league titles (2020, 2021, 2022), a Greek Cup, and the 2024 UEFA Conference League[6](https://theanalyst.com/players/6513/youssef-el-arabi/career) • [3](https://ligue1.com/en/articles/l1_article_2899-) |
| Later clubs | APOEL Nicosia (2024/25, 13 league goals), FC Nantes (2025/26), Marko in Greece's Super League 2 (2026/27)[6](https://theanalyst.com/players/6513/youssef-el-arabi/career) • [2](https://african.football/marko-add-veteran-forward-youssef-el-arabi-on-free-deal/) |
| Honors | Five top-scorer awards across his career; named to the Qatar Stars League Team of the Season 2016-17[2](https://african.football/marko-add-veteran-forward-youssef-el-arabi-on-free-deal/) • [7](https://www.qsl.qa/sites/default/files/2021-08/Competition%20Report_QSL_2016-2017_0.pdf) |
## Early career and Caen
El-Arabi came through at USON Mondeville and joined SM Caen, his hometown club in Normandy, on 1 July 2007.[8](https://www.footballtransfers.com/en/players/youssef-elarabi/transfer-history) He played there from 2008 to 2011, totaling 75 league appearances and 28 goals: 3 appearances in [Ligue 1](https://www.edgepedia.org/ligue-1) in 2008/09, 11 goals in 34 [Ligue 2](https://www.edgepedia.org/ligue-2) matches in the 2009/10 promotion season, and 17 goals in 38 Ligue 1 matches in 2010/11.[6](https://theanalyst.com/players/6513/youssef-el-arabi/career) That 2010/11 season opened the door to the Moroccan national team and a transfer to Saudi Arabia.[3](https://ligue1.com/en/articles/l1_article_2899-)
## Al-Hilal and Granada
In July 2011 Caen sold El-Arabi to Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia for €7.5 million.[8](https://www.footballtransfers.com/en/players/youssef-elarabi/transfer-history) He scored 12 goals in 21 Saudi League matches in the 2011/12 season and added 4 goals in 6 [AFC Champions League](https://www.edgepedia.org/afc-champions-league) matches.[6](https://theanalyst.com/players/6513/youssef-el-arabi/career)
Granada signed him in the summer of 2012, and the transfer made him the most expensive signing in the club's history at €4.5 million, a fee FootballTransfers lists as €5 million.[9](https://as.com/futbol/2016/02/05/primera/1454677979_686001.html) • [8](https://www.footballtransfers.com/en/players/youssef-elarabi/transfer-history) He spent four seasons there, scoring 8 league goals in 2012/13, 12 in 2013/14, 8 in 2014/15, and a career-best 16 in 2015/16, for 44 goals in 130 league matches.[4](https://as.com/futbol/2016/05/30/primera/1464631859_502699.html)
His penalty against Deportivo at the Riazor in February 2016 made him Granada's all-time leading scorer in [La Liga](https://www.edgepedia.org/la-liga). The goal, his 35th in the top flight, took him past the 34 goals Enrique Porta had scored in 101 matches, a record that had stood since 1975; El-Arabi needed 119 matches and scored 8 of his 35 from the penalty spot.[5](https://as.com/futbol/2016/02/29/primera/1456749724_449411.html) He left in the summer of 2016, when the player's owner Gino Pozzo moved him after selling the club.[4](https://as.com/futbol/2016/05/30/primera/1464631859_502699.html)
## Al Duhail in Qatar
El-Arabi joined Lekhwiya SC, later renamed [Al-Duhail SC](https://www.edgepedia.org/al-duhail-sc), in Qatar in July 2016.[3](https://ligue1.com/en/articles/l1_article_2899-) • [8](https://www.footballtransfers.com/en/players/youssef-elarabi/transfer-history) His three league seasons there were the most prolific of his career by rate: 24 goals in 18 matches in 2016/17, 26 in 20 in 2017/18, and 26 in 22 in 2018/19, for 76 goals in 60 league matches.[6](https://theanalyst.com/players/6513/youssef-el-arabi/career) He won the Qatari league title twice, in 2017 and 2018, along with four other trophies in the country.[3](https://ligue1.com/en/articles/l1_article_2899-) In continental competition he scored 9 goals in 9 AFC Champions League matches in 2018.[6](https://theanalyst.com/players/6513/youssef-el-arabi/career)
## Olympiacos
El-Arabi moved to Olympiacos on a free transfer on 6 July 2019.[8](https://www.footballtransfers.com/en/players/youssef-elarabi/transfer-history) Over five seasons he made 148 league appearances and scored 68 goals, with his strongest campaign in 2020/21, when he scored 22 goals in 33 [Super League](https://www.edgepedia.org/super-league) matches.[6](https://theanalyst.com/players/6513/youssef-el-arabi/career) His trophy haul there included three Greek league titles, in 2020, 2021, and 2022, a Greek Cup, and the UEFA Conference League in 2024.[3](https://ligue1.com/en/articles/l1_article_2899-)
He also scored regularly in European competition for the club, with 20 goals across 58 continental matches, including 5 in 9 Champions League appearances in 2019/20.[6](https://theanalyst.com/players/6513/youssef-el-arabi/career) His final season there was reduced: 4 league goals in 13 matches in 2023/24, plus 2 appearances for Olympiakos II in Super League 2.[6](https://theanalyst.com/players/6513/youssef-el-arabi/career)
## APOEL, Nantes, and Marko
El-Arabi joined APOEL Nicosia on a free transfer on 12 July 2024 and scored 13 goals in 31 [Cypriot First Division](https://www.edgepedia.org/cypriot-first-division) matches in 2024/25, adding appearances in the Europa League, Conference League, and Champions League.[8](https://www.footballtransfers.com/en/players/youssef-elarabi/transfer-history) • [6](https://theanalyst.com/players/6513/youssef-el-arabi/career) In July 2025 he returned to France with FC Nantes, where he made 25 Ligue 1 appearances and scored 3 goals in 2025/26, mostly as a substitute.[8](https://www.footballtransfers.com/en/players/youssef-elarabi/transfer-history) • [6](https://theanalyst.com/players/6513/youssef-el-arabi/career) In 2026 he joined the Greek Super League 2 club Marko on a free transfer, where at 39 he continued scoring, with 4 goals in his first league matches of 2026/27.[2](https://african.football/marko-add-veteran-forward-youssef-el-arabi-on-free-deal/) • [6](https://theanalyst.com/players/6513/youssef-el-arabi/career) • [1](https://www.fotmob.com/players/161291/youssef-el-arabi)
## Morocco
El-Arabi's breakout season with Caen opened the door to the Moroccan national team.[3](https://ligue1.com/en/articles/l1_article_2899-)
## References
1. [Youssef El Arabi – stats, career and market value, FotMob](https://www.fotmob.com/players/161291/youssef-el-arabi)
2. [Marko add veteran forward Youssef El Arabi on free deal, African Football](https://african.football/marko-add-veteran-forward-youssef-el-arabi-on-free-deal/)
3. [Youssef El Arabi: Nantes' newest striker in 17 trophies, Ligue1.com](https://ligue1.com/en/articles/l1_article_2899-)
4. [Pozzo se lleva a El Arabi del Granada tras vender el club, AS.com](https://as.com/futbol/2016/05/30/primera/1464631859_502699.html)
5. [El Arabi, máximo goleador de la historia del Granada en Primera, AS.com](https://as.com/futbol/2016/02/29/primera/1456749724_449411.html)
6. [Youssef El-Arabi Career History, Opta Analyst](https://theanalyst.com/players/6513/youssef-el-arabi/career)
7. [QSL 2016-17 Competition Report, Qatar Stars League](https://www.qsl.qa/sites/default/files/2021-08/Competition%20Report_QSL_2016-2017_0.pdf)
8. [Youssef El Arabi Transfer History, FootballTransfers](https://www.footballtransfers.com/en/players/youssef-elarabi/transfer-history)
9. [El Arabi: "Espero marcar goles en el tiempo que me quede aquí", AS.com](https://as.com/futbol/2016/02/05/primera/1454677979_686001.html)
10. [El Arabi, máximo goleador del Granada CF en Primera división](https://www.granadacf.es/noticias/el-arabi-maximo-goleador-del-granada-cf-en-primera-division)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of Africa › Maghreb footballers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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