[2] In July 2012, Scottish First Division club Dunfermline Athletic signed El Bakhtaoui after he impressed then-manager Jim Jefferies in trial matches versus Berwick Rangers and Lochgelly.
El Bakhtaoui was once more given the player of the month award for March,[7] after his goals against Stenhousemuir and Ayr United, as well as his first career hat-trick in a 3–1 win over Brechin City,[8] helped seal the Scottish League One championship for the Pars.
With his contract due to expire at the end of May 2016, El Bakhtaoui once again started attracting interest from a number of top-tier teams, including Motherwell[9] and Dundee.
[10] Although offered a new contract by the Pars, El Bakhtaoui announced in April 2016 that he was ready to move to a club in a higher league,[11] and with the relationship between him and manager Allan Johnston breaking down due to the latter allowing the player a 15-minute cameo in the final game of the season,[12] it appeared that El Bakhtaoui would be leaving the club at the end of his contract.
In July 2016, El Bakhtaoui went on trial with English Championship club Blackburn Rovers, after former Dunfermline striker Owen Coyle had been impressed by his goalscoring record.
[13] After his trial with Rovers ended, El Bakhtaoui signed a three-year deal with Scottish Premiership club Dundee on 2 August 2016.
[14][15][16] El Bakhtaoui's first appearance for the Dark Blues arrived as a second-half substitute for Danny Williams in a 3–1 win versus Ross County in Dingwall.
[17] El Bakhtaoui made a further appearance as a substitute versus Rangers at Dens Park,[18] before making his first start six days later in a 1–1 draw with Hamilton Academical.
[26] On 9 August 2019, El Bakhtaoui reunited with former Pars manager Allan Johnston, signing a one-year deal with Dumfries club Queen of the South.