Elche CF have completed the signing of Thomas Lemar and seen Fer Niño continue his scoring run, but the team suffered another defeat against Real Sociedad. According to Atlético de Madrid's official website, the French midfielder joins the Ilicitano club on a season-long loan for the 2026/27 campaign. Eduardo Anselmi's side sits 19th in LaLiga with just one point from four matches, after losing 2-3 at the Martínez Valero on Saturday.
What does Thomas Lemar bring to Elche?
The loan agreement with Atlético de Madrid was made official on September 1st. Lemar, 30, arrives with extensive top-flight experience and a background in European competitions, having won the league title with Atlético in the 2020/21 season. His signing aims to add creativity and experience to a midfield needing options, especially with current absentees Adam Boayar and Yago Santiago, detailed on our injuries page.
The Frenchman, who played 186 matches for Atlético, will sign his first contract with the green-and-white striped club. His arrival is one of the few positive notes in a difficult start to the season where the team has conceded 12 goals in four games. The squad hopes his passing quality and game vision will help improve the collective performance.
How is Fer Niño performing?
Striker Fer Niño is meeting expectations despite the team's poor start. The 25-year-old attacker has scored in Elche's last two matches. He found the net in the defeats against Racing de Santander (3-2) and Real Sociedad (2-3), equalling his goal tally from his last season in the top flight with Mallorca.
"Fer Niño has landed on his feet at Elche," the publication noted, highlighting the pressure from the four-million-euro investment in his signing. Beyond his goals, his involvement was key in the sending-off of Real Sociedad's Jon Martín after winning a contested ball. His numbers offer a glimmer of hope for a team desperately needing to find offensive consistency.
What happened in the match against Real Sociedad?
The 2-3 loss to Real Sociedad on September 7th left Elche with three consecutive defeats. The match was marked by a great performance from visiting midfielder Yangel Herrera, who scored his first official goal for Real. The Venezuelan dominated the centre of the park and was decisive in the outcome.
For Elche, Fer Niño scored his team's second goal in the 68th minute with a header that made it 2-2 temporarily. However, the team could not hold on for a draw and ended up adding a third loss in a row. With only five goals scored and twelve conceded, the -7 goal difference reflects the defensive issues hampering the team, as seen in the season's stats.
What is the team's current situation?
Elche CF's reality is worrying with one matchday left before the first international break. The team has just one point and sits eleven points behind leaders Barcelona. Their next fixture is a tough visit to San Mamés to face Athletic Club on September 12th, an opponent currently in tenth place.
The schedule does not get easier and the need for points is urgent. Fans can follow the evolution of the league table in our standings section. Anselmi's team must quickly find greater collective solidity if they want to climb out of the relegation zone. The match against Athletic will be Lemar's first as a green-and-white player if the manager decides to select him.
