Elche CF enter the 2026/27 campaign in a state of controlled transition. Martín Anselmi arrives from the Argentine school of possession-based football to replace Eder Sarabia, who departed after guiding the club to a dramatic final-day survival. The squad has been significantly reshaped, particularly in attack, where the departures of Álvaro Rodríguez, André Silva, and Rafa Mir stripped the club of the three forwards who accounted for 25 of their 49 league goals last season. The early weeks have been punishing: five matches, two points, and a place in the relegation zone. This is the definitive guide to the current Elche squad.
Technical Leadership & Coaching Profile
Manager: Martín Anselmi
Tactical Philosophy: Anselmi is a continuity appointment rather than a revolution. The club’s ownership, led by Christian Bragarnik, were explicit in their desire to preserve the possession-based, proactive model that Sarabia implemented over two seasons. Anselmi arrives with experience at Cruz Azul, Porto, and Botafogo, and his tactical blueprint mirrors his predecessor’s: a 5-2-2-1 system built on associative construction, positional rotations, and a commitment to attacking football even against the league’s giants. The challenge is implementing this philosophy with a squad that has been weakened in the attacking third.
Preferred Formations: 5-2-2-1, with three centre-backs, attacking wing-backs, a double pivot in midfield, two attacking midfielders operating in the half-spaces, and a lone striker.
Strategic Transfer Activity
Elche’s summer was one of necessity and late opportunism. The club invested over €20 million, but the bulk of the business was completed in the final days of the window. The strategy reflected the club’s financial reality: execute purchase options from last season’s loans, add depth on free transfers and loan deals, and search for value in the market’s closing hours.
Table A: Summer Major Transfer Influx
| Player | Position | Former Club | Fee Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fer Niño | Striker | Burgos | Undisclosed |
| Ezequiel Ponce | Striker | Houston Dynamo | Undisclosed |
| Facundo Buonanotte | Attacking Midfielder | Brighton | Loan |
| Thomas Lemar | Midfielder | Atlético Madrid | Loan |
| Kevin Lomónaco | Centre-Back | Independiente | Undisclosed |
| Rubén Sánchez | Right-Back | Espanyol | Undisclosed |
| Roy Revivo | Left-Back | Maccabi Tel Aviv | €2.5m (75%) |
| Víctor Chust | Centre-Back | Cádiz | Purchase option executed |
| Buba Sangaré | Right-Back | Roma | Purchase option executed |
| Gonzalo Villar | Midfielder | Dinamo Zagreb | Purchase option executed |
The deadline-day flurry was dramatic. Rubén Sánchez, Roy Revivo, Thomas Lemar, and Kevin Lomónaco all arrived on the final day, with the Revivo deal seeing Elche pay Maccabi Tel Aviv just over €2.5 million for 75% of his economic rights. Lomónaco’s arrival was a direct response to David Affengruber’s departure to Fulham for approximately €12 million on the same day. Thomas Lemar, a World Cup winner with France in 2018, joined on loan from Atlético Madrid, bringing technical quality and big-club experience to a midfield that lost Aleix Febas to Celta Vigo.
The First-Team Roster
Goalkeepers
Matías Dituro (#1): The 39-year-old Argentine remains the undisputed number one and a key dressing-room figure. Dituro has started all five league matches, conceding 13 goals behind a defence that has struggled to adapt. His experience is invaluable for a newly assembled back line.
Alejandro Iturbe (#13): The 22-year-old Madrid native joined from Atlético Madrid’s academy and is viewed as the long-term successor to Dituro. He has yet to make a competitive appearance for the club.
Defenders
Víctor Chust (#): The purchase option from Cádiz was executed after a successful loan spell. Chust has started every league match, contributing an assist, and his composure on the ball suits Anselmi’s build-up demands.
Buba Sangaré (#): The 18-year-old right-back’s purchase option from Roma was executed, and he has been a rare bright spot, scoring one goal in five league appearances. His contract runs until 2031, a statement of the club’s belief in his potential.
Pedro Bigas (#6): The club captain provides experience and leadership in the back three. At 35, his reading of the game compensates for any physical decline.
Kevin Lomónaco (#): The Argentine centre-back arrived from Independiente on deadline day as the emergency replacement for Affengruber. His physical profile and aerial ability are expected to strengthen a defence that has conceded at an alarming rate.
Roy Revivo (#): The Israeli left-back, son of former Celta Vigo forward Haim Revivo, joined from Maccabi Tel Aviv for €2.5 million. He arrives with 20 international caps and a reputation for attacking thrust from full-back.
Rubén Sánchez (#): The right-back joined from Espanyol on deadline day, providing cover and competition for Sangaré.
Matia Barzic (#): The Croatian centre-back returned from a loan at Cultural Leonesa and provides depth in central defence.
Bambo Diaby (#): Returned from a loan at Granada, the 28-year-old offers physical presence as a rotation option.
Midfielders
Gonzalo Villar (#): The purchase option from Dinamo Zagreb was executed, and Villar has become the metronome of Anselmi’s midfield. His passing range and composure under pressure are central to Elche’s possession game.
Marc Aguado (#): The 26-year-old forms the double pivot alongside Villar. His tactical discipline and interception numbers provide the defensive screen that allows the more creative players to operate freely.
Thomas Lemar (#): The marquee name of the summer window. The 2018 World Cup winner joined on loan from Atlético Madrid and scored on his debut against Real Sociedad. Lemar’s technical quality and versatility across midfield and the flanks add a dimension that was lacking after Febas’ departure.
Facundo Buonanotte (#): The Argentine attacking midfielder arrived on loan from Brighton after difficult spells at Chelsea and Leeds. Anselmi has expressed his hope that Buonanotte “finds the ideal scenario to develop all his potential and be happy” at Elche. His creativity is desperately needed.
Federico Redondo (#): The Argentine midfielder enters his second season at the club after a period of adaptation. His development is viewed as important for the squad’s depth.
Martim Neto (#): The Portuguese midfielder provides technical quality and competition in the engine room.
Forwards
Fer Niño (#): The summer signing from Burgos is the focal point of Elche’s attack. The 25-year-old scored seven league goals in the Segunda División last season and netted 25 in 122 matches across three seasons with Burgos. Elche’s official statement described him as a striker with “presence in the penalty area, mobility and the ability to combine with teammates.” The goalscoring burden rests squarely on his shoulders.
Ezequiel Ponce (#9): The Argentine striker returned to Elche for a second spell, having previously played for the club. He arrived from Houston Dynamo and declared that returning was “a decision I had clear.” Ponce provides a physical alternative to Niño and knows the club’s culture.
Abiel Osorio (#24): The Argentine forward signed in January and spent the second half of last season on loan at Defensa y Justicia. He returns to compete for minutes in the attacking line.
Germán Valera (#): The Spanish winger provides directness and work rate on the flanks. His contract includes a one-year extension option based on appearances.
Grady Diangana (#): The Congolese-born winger offers pace and dribbling as a rotation option in the attacking midfield roles.
Tete Morente (#15): The experienced winger provides a reliable outlet on the left flank.
Leadership Group & Squad Regulations
Club Captain: Pedro Bigas
The 35-year-old defender is the captain and the most experienced voice in the dressing room. His leadership is critical for a squad that has undergone significant turnover and is fighting to establish its top-flight credentials.
The Leadership Committee: Matías Dituro and Gonzalo Villar provide leadership across the squad, with Dituro’s longevity and Villar’s centrality to the playing style making them natural voices.
Homegrown Quota Check: Elche’s academy, the Ciudad Deportiva de Buñol, has produced several members of the current squad. Umaru Konaré, the academy forward who was the top scorer in pre-season, signed a contract until 2029 before joining Ceuta on loan. Ali Houary and Adam Boayar represent the next generation pushing for first-team opportunities.
Financial & Contractual Health
Financial Balance Overview: Elche’s summer investment exceeded €20 million, a significant outlay for a club of their size. The €12 million received for Affengruber offset a portion of the expenditure, while the sales of Álvaro Rodríguez and André Silva generated further funds. The club retains one free squad slot and could explore the free-agent market if a suitable opportunity arises, though sporting director Pedro Schinocca has insisted there is “no priority objective or defined position.”
Contract Red Alerts: Elche’s contract situation is largely stable, with the squad signed to long-term deals. The club’s focus is on survival, and the investments in Sangaré (until 2031), Chust, and Villar reflect a long-term vision rather than short-term fixes.
The Academy Pipeline & Loan Tracker
Breakout Talents to Watch: Umaru Konaré was the top scorer in pre-season and made his La Liga debut on the opening day against Deportivo La Coruña. The club extended his contract until 2029 before sending him on loan to Ceuta in the Segunda División, a move designed to provide regular minutes while retaining control of his development. Ali Houary and Adam Boayar are also pushing from the academy.
Notable Out on Loan: Umaru Konaré (Ceuta), Tiziano Perrotta (Defensa y Justicia). Perrotta’s loan includes the possibility of an early return in the winter window if the coaching staff deem it appropriate.
Set-Piece Specialists & FPL Cheat Sheet
Penalties: Fer Niño (First Choice). With André Silva and Rafa Mir departed, the penalty duties fall to the new striker.
Direct Free-Kicks: Thomas Lemar / Gonzalo Villar.
Corners & Crosses: Thomas Lemar and Germán Valera are the primary deliverers, with Gonzalo Villar offering an alternative from deep.
For Fantasy La Liga managers, Fer Niño is the obvious Elche asset, given his goalscoring burden and penalty duties. Thomas Lemar’s technical quality and set-piece involvement make him a differential if he stays fit. Matías Dituro’s save volume, behind a leaky defence, could yield points in systems that reward goalkeeping interventions.
Final Outlook: Navigating the Tactical Horizon
Elche enter the 2026/27 season with an identity intact but a squad diminished. Anselmi’s appointment was designed to preserve the possession-based philosophy that delivered survival, but the departures of Álvaro Rodríguez, André Silva, Rafa Mir, and Aleix Febas removed the attacking output and creative heartbeat that made the model work.
The early returns are concerning: two points from five matches, 13 goals conceded, and a place in the relegation zone. The defensive restructuring, forced by Affengruber’s deadline-day departure, has left the back line exposed. Lomónaco’s integration must be swift.
The attacking burden on Fer Niño is immense. The 25-year-old has never played in La Liga, and expecting him to replace the combined output of three departed strikers is unrealistic without support. Buonanotte’s creativity and Lemar’s quality must translate into tangible service.
Anselmi’s commitment to attacking football is admirable, but pragmatism may be required. The margin between survival and relegation is fine, and Elche are already on the wrong side of it. If the new signings adapt quickly, if Niño finds his feet, and if the defence stabilises, Elche have the identity and the spirit to survive. But the early evidence suggests a long, difficult season lies ahead.
