Deportivo La Coruña Squad Depth 2026/27 Analysis

Deportivo La Coruña return to La Liga with a squad that looks considerably more prepared for top-flight football than a typical promoted group. Antonio Hidalgo, rewarded with a contract through 2028 after leading Dépor back to the Primera División, has been backed with an ambitious recruitment drive.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Angeliño, Leo Román, Lorenzo Amatucci, Jonathan Asp Jensen and Bright Ede arrived earlier in the summer before Deportivo completed late moves for Adama Traoré, Marc Casadó and José María Giménez.

The early results have been encouraging: draws against Elche and Málaga were followed by a 3-1 victory over Valencia, leaving Deportivo with five points from their opening three matches. The additions have given Hidalgo more than just extra bodies. Deportivo now have experienced La Liga players alongside many of the younger footballers who helped carry the club back to the top flight.

Deportivo La Coruña’s 2026/27 Squad at a Glance

The senior squad includes:

Goalkeepers: Leo Román, Germán Parreño, Álvaro Ferllo
Central defenders: José María Giménez, Arnau Comas, Lucas Noubi, Dani Barcia, Bright Ede, Miguel Loureiro
Full-back and wing-back options: Angeliño, Quagliata, Ximo Navarro, Alti, Loureiro
Central midfield: Marc Casadó, Lorenzo Amatucci, Diego Villares, Riki, Teun Gijselhart
Advanced midfield: Mario Soriano, Jonathan Asp Jensen, with several central midfielders capable of pushing higher
Wide attack: Yeremay Hernández, David Mella, Luismi Cruz, Adama Traoré, Bil Nsongo
Centre-forward: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Zakaria Eddahchouri

It is a young squad in several areas, but deadline-day additions have significantly increased its top-level experience.

Goalkeeper Depth

Leo Román has established himself as Hidalgo’s first-choice goalkeeper. His arrival gave Deportivo a younger No. 1 with experience at a high level, and he started all three opening league matches. Germán Parreño and Álvaro Ferllo provide senior alternatives.

The hierarchy is clear, but the department is adequately covered for a club whose schedule consists mainly of La Liga and the Copa del Rey. Losing Román for a prolonged period would create some uncertainty, although Deportivo would not be forced to rely on an academy goalkeeper.

Defence Looks Much Stronger After Deadline Day

José María Giménez changes the assessment of this department. The Uruguay international arrives after spending most of his European career at Atlético Madrid, with extensive La Liga and Champions League experience. For a promoted team, having a defender accustomed to playing at that level should help both on the pitch and within a relatively young defensive group.

Bright Ede has already shown why Deportivo regard him highly. The 19-year-old is left-footed, physically imposing and quick enough to defend larger spaces. He started the 3-1 victory over Valencia. Lucas Noubi has also received significant early responsibility, while Arnau Comas, Dani Barcia and Loureiro provide further central options.

The challenge for Hidalgo is establishing the right hierarchy. Deportivo have plenty of centre-backs, but several are young and still adapting to Primera División football. Giménez therefore becomes important not because the squad lacked defenders, but because it lacked another proven top-flight reference point.

Full-Back Options

Angeliño gives Deportivo an unusually accomplished attacking left-back for a promoted side. His delivery, experience and ability to advance into midfield make him more than defensive cover. Quagliata provides another natural option on that flank. The right side has Ximo Navarro, Alti and Loureiro among the possible solutions.

The left looks stronger going forward, while the right contains more functional options than obvious difference-makers. Overall, however, Hidalgo has enough defenders to change personnel without regularly improvising with players outside their natural positions.

Midfield Has Been Transformed

Lorenzo Amatucci was already one of Deportivo’s most important summer additions before the arrival of Marc Casadó. Amatucci is comfortable receiving the ball deeper, distributing possession and contributing defensively. He has started all three league games so far and already looks central to Hidalgo’s approach.

Casadó now adds another midfielder with genuine La Liga and Champions League experience. His ability to operate as a holding midfielder or cover at right-back is especially valuable. Deportivo can now rotate their deeper midfield without losing the ability to build through pressure.

Diego Villares provides continuity from the promotion-winning side, while Riki and Teun Gijselhart add further options. The midfield therefore has a useful balance:

Casadó can protect and organise.
Amatucci can dictate possession.
Villares provides energy and familiarity with Hidalgo’s system.
Riki and Gijselhart increase the rotation.

This may ultimately become Deportivo’s most reliable department because one absence does not require the entire structure to change.

Mario Soriano and Asp Jensen Add Creativity

Mario Soriano remains one of the natural links between midfield and attack. Jonathan Asp Jensen gives Hidalgo another creative profile. The 20-year-old arrived from Bayern Munich after producing nine goals and six assists during his loan season in Switzerland.

He should not be treated as a finished La Liga playmaker yet, but his ability to operate between the lines gives Deportivo another way to create chances when Soriano is unavailable or when Hidalgo wants an additional technical midfielder.

That matters against opponents who defend deep. Deportivo can be dangerous in transition through their wingers, but surviving in La Liga also requires solutions when they are given more of the ball.

Wide Attack Has Pace and Individual Threat

Yeremay and David Mella remain two of the most important players carried over from the promotion squad. Yeremay provides dribbling and creativity from the left, while Mella can attack space aggressively from wide areas. Luismi Cruz gives Hidalgo another technical option.

The late arrival of Adama Traoré adds a completely different level of physical threat. With more than 270 Premier League appearances behind him, Adama brings experience as well as elite acceleration and one-versus-one ability.

He will need time to regain full match sharpness after arriving without a complete team preseason, but once fit, Hidalgo can use him either as a starter or as a potentially disruptive substitute against tiring defenders. That makes the wide positions considerably deeper than they were during the promotion campaign.

Aubameyang Changes the Centre-Forward Level

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is the most high-profile addition. Even at 37, his previous season at Marseille showed that he can still contribute goals at a high level. More importantly for Deportivo, he understands movement inside the penalty area and remains dangerous when attacking space behind defenders.

He has already scored against both Elche and Málaga. Zakaria Eddahchouri provides the main alternative and gives Hidalgo a different centre-forward option. The concern is still obvious: there is a considerable experience and proven-quality gap between Aubameyang and the players behind him.

If the Gabon international stays healthy, Deportivo possess a striker capable of deciding matches. If he misses an extended period, the attacking structure becomes less proven. This is one area where the squad has numbers without equivalent depth.

What Happens When Deportivo Rotate?

The interesting feature of this squad is that Hidalgo can rotate midfield and defence more comfortably than attack. Giménez, Ede, Noubi, Comas and the other defenders create multiple centre-back combinations. Casadó, Amatucci, Villares and Riki give Deportivo several midfield pairings.

Out wide, Yeremay, Mella, Luismi Cruz and Adama mean one winger can be rested without completely removing the team’s one-versus-one threat. The larger quality drops come at goalkeeper and centre-forward.

Román has established himself quickly as No. 1, while Aubameyang gives Deportivo attacking experience that no other striker in the squad currently matches. Those are the positions where a long absence would change the team most significantly.

Youth and Experience Are Better Balanced

One of the more sensible features of Deportivo’s recruitment is the mixture of ages. Ede, Asp Jensen, Amatucci and Casadó can grow with the club. Giménez, Angeliño, Adama and Aubameyang bring experience from major European leagues and competitions.

That balance should help a squad containing several players experiencing their first Primera División season. Seven Deportivo starters made their La Liga debuts in the opening draw with Elche. That illustrates both the potential and the risk.

Young players can develop quickly, but promotion does not automatically mean they are ready to perform consistently against established La Liga opposition. The experienced arrivals should reduce the pressure on them.

Overall Squad Depth Assessment

Overall Assessment: Strong for a Promoted Club

Deportivo have constructed a squad with enough depth to avoid depending entirely on the promotion-winning XI. Midfield is particularly well balanced following the additions of Amatucci and Casadó. Central defence now combines promising younger players with Giménez’s extensive experience, while Angeliño and Adama add proven quality on the flanks.

The greatest dependence is on Aubameyang for top-level centre-forward quality and, to a lesser extent, Leo Román in goal. Deportivo have no European schedule, so Hidalgo does not require two complete starting teams. For La Liga and Copa del Rey football, the current numbers are sufficient.

The early five-point return is encouraging, but the more important sign is that Deportivo now have credible alternatives when Hidalgo needs to change his team.

Conclusion

Deportivo La Coruña have approached their return to La Liga ambitiously without completely abandoning the squad that earned promotion. Marc Casadó and Lorenzo Amatucci transform the midfield options, José María Giménez adds experience to a young defence, and Angeliño gives the left side proven top-level quality.

Adama Traoré increases the attacking variety, while Aubameyang remains the major reference point for goals. The squad is not equally deep everywhere. Centre-forward carries the clearest quality drop behind the starter, and several young defenders still have to prove themselves consistently at this level.

For a promoted club, however, Deportivo have built a well-balanced group with enough quality beyond the strongest XI to handle ordinary injuries, rotation and changes in form without immediately compromising the team.