Former Wydad right back El Amloud returns to Moroccan football with Raja

After spells in Bahrain and Iran, former Morocco and Wydad AC international right back Ayoub El Amloud has returned to Moroccan football with Casablanca giants Raja Club Athletic.

In a move that is sure to genereate plenty of discussion, El Amloud will don the green shirt of Wydad’s eternal rivals. The experienced 31-year-old arrives at his new club after previously winning three league titles with Wydad in Morocco’s top flight Botola Pro as well as the 2021-22 CAF Champions League.

His most recent club was Al Khaldiya in Bahrain, with whom he participated in the AFC Champions League 2 this season. He also featured regularly for Khaldiya, who are the current leaders in the Bahraini Premier League at the time of the transfer.

During the 2024-25 season, he was with Iranian giants Persepolis where he provided 1 goal and 1 assist in 25 matches across all competitions as the club finished third in the Persian Gulf Pro League and competed in the AFC Champions League Elite.

The new arrival will provide depth in the Raja defense. Mohamed Boulacsout is currently the primary right back for The Green Eagles, with the two players set to battle for playing time for the remainder of the 2025-26 Botola Pro campaign. A disappointing 2024-25 season saw the club fail to qualify for CAF interclub competition.

El Amloud has 10 goals and 17 assists from 162 appearances in the Botola Pro. He graduated from the youth academy of Rabat club AS FAR before making his professional debut during the 2013-14 season and earning a transfer to Wydad ahead of the 2018-19 campaign. Over six seasons, he accumulated 15 goals and 20 assists in 190 appearances for The Red Castle.

El Amloud also made one appearance with the Morocco national team in a June 2021 friendly match against Ghana. He was initially named by Atlas Lions coach Walid Regragui to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations provisional squad but did not end up making the final squad that traveled to Ivory Coast.

Raja are currently 4th on the Botola Pro table, four points back of league leaders Wydad. Their next match is on Sunday at home against Renaissance Zemamra.