Elche CF has experienced a busy transfer deadline day with the arrival of midfielder Thomas Lemar and the departure of defender David Affengruber. The franjiverde club secured the loan signing of the French international, while the Austrian's sale to English side Fulham was confirmed.
These moves come as the Ilicitano team grapples with a difficult start to the La Liga season, sitting 19th with just one point from three matches. Their next challenge is a home fixture against Real Sociedad on September 7th, a key match to try and reverse the negative trend of their recent LLD form. You can check the full schedule on our fixtures page.
Who is Thomas Lemar and what does he bring to Elche?
Thomas Lemar arrives at the Martínez Valero from Atlético Madrid, where he had fallen out of favour with manager Diego Simeone. The 30-year-old Frenchman joins on a straight loan without a purchase option, as stated in the club's official communication. This marks his second consecutive loan spell in the Spanish top flight, following last season at Girona.
The midfielder brings considerable top-level experience, including a La Liga title and a World Cup winner's medal with France in 2018. Lemar is a player of significant technical talent, capable of operating in several midfield and attacking positions. His vision and final-pass quality represent a qualitative leap for a team that has scored only three goals and conceded nine so far in the league.
How did David Affengruber say goodbye to the club?
David Affengruber, transferred to Fulham, bid farewell to Elche CF with an emotional message on his social media. "Elche has become much more than just a chapter in my career," stated the Austrian centre-back. Affengruber thanked the club and the fans for making him feel at home since his arrival two seasons ago.
The Austrian international experienced promotion to the top flight and subsequent survival with the Ilicitano side. In his farewell message, he highlighted "two campaigns of special relevance" and said he takes with him "special moments, unforgettable emotions and memories." The sale of the defender brought in approximately 12 million euros for Elche CF.
What happened in the match against Racing Santander?
The backdrop to these transfer moves was a tough defeat in the third round of La Liga. Elche lost 3-2 to Racing Santander in a match where young Moroccan striker Yasser Zabiri was the standout performer. The attacker, on loan from Rennes, scored a hat-trick in just 21 minutes during his first start.
Zabiri capitalized on a mistake by the franjiverde goalkeeper to open the scoring, completing his treble with an overhead kick. This display added three more goals to Elche's tally against, which now stands at nine with a -6 goal difference. Martín Anselmi's team must urgently improve its defensive solidity, especially with key absences like Adam Boayar, Yago Santiago, Fernando Niño, and the newly arrived Thomas Lemar all currently sidelined. The team's status can be followed in the injuries section.
What is the team's current standing in the table?
With just one point from a possible nine, Elche CF finds itself in 19th place in the standings, eight points behind leaders Barcelona. The team needs to quickly find more consistency, starting with the upcoming match at the Martínez Valero. A look at the standings shows the urgency of picking up points to climb out of the relegation zone.
The squad now faces two weeks of preparation before the clash with Real Sociedad on September 7th. The Basque side currently occupies 13th place, making the match a direct opportunity to close the gap with mid-table teams. Elche will look to their home support for the boost needed to secure their first victory of the 2026-27 season.
