French midfielder Thomas Lemar was officially unveiled as a new Elche CF player this Wednesday. The 30-year-old footballer, whose playing rights belong to Atlético Madrid, expressed his excitement about the new project and discussed his current fitness level.
Lemar's arrival comes at a tough time for the franjiverde team, which sits 19th in the La Liga standings with just one point from four matches. The Ilicitano squad has conceded 12 goals and scored five, leaving them eleven points behind leaders Barcelona. Also, for the upcoming match against Athletic Club, they will still be without Adam Boayar and Yago Santiago, both on the injuries list.
What is Thomas Lemar's current fitness level?
Thomas Lemar assured that he joins Elche CF in good condition. The player completed the entire pre-season with Atlético Madrid, so he arrives with the foundational work already done. "Several of us have just arrived and we need to find our rhythm, but little by little we will do it to get the best out of ourselves," declared the Frenchman during his presentation. His main goal now is to adapt quickly to the group and the coaching staff's ideas to contribute as soon as possible.
The midfielder highlighted the quality within the squad but acknowledged that building a competitive team requires work and time. The urgency is clear, given Elche's league start, which shows one draw and three losses in its first four games. The next test will be this Saturday, September 12th, at San Mamés against 10th-placed Athletic Club. All fixture details are available on our matches page.
What does Lemar mean for Elche's project?
The addition of a player with Thomas Lemar's experience and pedigree is a significant boost for Elche's midfield. The Frenchman, who was on loan at Girona last season, has an interesting link to the club. On the final matchday of the previous season, a shot of his in the 80th minute hit the crossbar in a Girona match. Had it gone in, that goal could have meant relegation to the Second Division for Elche CF, although in the end it was the Girona side that went down.
Lemar says he is happy to have come to the Martínez Valero. "I am happy to have come here. We have to work to make a strong group," he stated. His attitude and desire to integrate quickly are welcome at a club seeking to reverse its difficult position in the table. The manager will count on him to try and turn results around and improve collective performance, starting with the tough trip to Bilbao.
How can he help improve results?
Creativity and arriving from the second line are some of the qualities Lemar can bring to a team that needs more sharpness. With five goals scored, the attack is one of the areas requiring immediate improvement. The Frenchman's presence could create space for other players and provide greater precision in the final pass.
His adaptation to the tactical scheme and his new teammates will be key in the coming weeks. The player already knows the competition and does not need an acclimatization period to La Liga, which is an advantage. The immediate objective is to secure the first three points of the season and start climbing the table. Elche CF faces a decisive run of matches to correct its course. The full squad, with its signings and absences, can be checked in the squad section of the website. The team's next fixture is the clash against Athletic Club on Saturday, September 12, 2026.
