Elche CF Squad Depth 2026-27: Full Team Analysis

Elche CF enter 2026/27 with one of La Liga's most heavily reshaped squads. After surviving last season, the club changed head coach and appointed Martín Anselmi, whose football places considerable emphasis on building from the back, controlling possession and using flexible defensive structures.

The transfer window reflects that change. Kevin Lomónaco, Roy Revivo and Rubén Sánchez have strengthened the defence. Fede Redondo and Thomas Lemar increase the midfield options, Facundo Buonanotte adds creativity, while Fer Niño and Ezequiel Ponce give Elche two established centre-forward choices.

David Affengruber, Aleix Febas, Rafa Mir and André Silva are among the important players no longer available from last season’s group. The squad is deeper than it was at the beginning of the summer. The more important question is whether Anselmi now has the right balance rather than simply enough players.

Elche CF’s 2026/27 Squad at a Glance

The main senior options include:

Goalkeepers: Matías Dituro, Alejandro Iturbe
Central defence: Kevin Lomónaco, Víctor Chust, Pedro Bigas, Mati Baržić, with Buba Sangaré capable of playing centrally
Full-back and wing-back options: Buba Sangaré, Rubén Sánchez, Roy Revivo, Tete Morente
Central midfield: Fede Redondo, Gonzalo Villar, Marc Aguado, Martim Neto
Creative midfield: Thomas Lemar, Facundo Buonanotte, Javi Morcillo
Wide attack: Germán Valera, Lucas Cepeda, Tete Morente, Grady Diangana, Ali Houary
Centre-forward: Fer Niño, Ezequiel Ponce, Abiel Osorio

Academy players such as Álvaro Padilla and Umaru Konaré have also been involved with the senior side.

Goalkeeper: A Clear No. 1 but Useful Competition

Matías Dituro remains Anselmi’s first-choice goalkeeper. His experience and leadership are valuable in a team that wants the goalkeeper involved in buildup rather than simply clearing the ball under pressure.

However, the opening weeks have also shown the danger of having such a clear hierarchy. Goalkeeping mistakes are heavily punished in La Liga, and Anselmi has already publicly backed Dituro during a difficult start. Alejandro Iturbe gives Elche a credible alternative.

The 23-year-old arrived from Atlético Madrid with a strong reputation at youth level and impressed sufficiently during preseason for Anselmi to regard him as genuine competition. That is healthy depth. Dituro remains the starter, but Elche have another goalkeeper they can realistically use rather than merely an emergency reserve.

Defence Has More Options Than the Early Results Suggest

Elche’s defence has been heavily criticised after conceding 12 goals in the opening four league matches. The numbers are concerning, but the squad-depth picture is slightly more complicated. Several important defensive additions arrived very late.

Kevin Lomónaco gives Anselmi a quicker, aggressive centre-back who is comfortable defending forward. That profile is important for a coach who wants his team operating higher up the pitch. Víctor Chust has already carried a major responsibility in buildup and remains one of Elche’s most important defenders.

Pedro Bigas provides experience, while Buba Sangaré can play as a right-sided centre-back or wider defender. Mati Baržić gives Anselmi another natural central option. Affengruber’s move to Fulham removed an established starter, but Lomónaco's arrival prevents the position from becoming obviously thin.

The issue is therefore less about numbers and more about finding a settled combination. Anselmi has enough centre-backs. He now needs a group that can defend transitions consistently while still executing his possession-based approach.

Full-Back and Wing-Back Depth Has Improved

This department looks much healthier following the late-window business. Roy Revivo gives Elche a natural attacking left-back capable of covering the entire flank. On the opposite side, Rubén Sánchez brings previous La Liga experience and provides a more conventional right-back option.

Buba Sangaré can also operate on the right, while Tete Morente has already shown he can perform as a wing-back when Anselmi uses a five-player defensive line. This flexibility is particularly useful because Anselmi does not appear committed to one rigid shape.

Elche can defend with five, build with three, or push their wide defenders much higher depending on the opponent. The depth is therefore not just numerical. The players allow different tactical solutions.

Midfield May Be Elche’s Most Balanced Area

Fede Redondo, Gonzalo Villar, Marc Aguado and Martim Neto give Elche several distinct central-midfield profiles. Redondo is the most natural holding midfielder. His positioning, passing range and ability to recover possession give Anselmi a player capable of anchoring the midfield.

Gonzalo Villar provides greater control in possession and has already become heavily involved in Elche’s buildup. Marc Aguado offers energy and movement between the boxes, while Martim Neto gives the squad another technically secure younger midfielder.

That means losing one central midfielder should not force a complete tactical rethink. The challenge will be finding the best combination. A Redondo-Villar pairing offers control. Aguado can provide more running. Neto gives Anselmi another option when he wants additional technical quality.

For a team whose identity depends heavily on maintaining possession, having several midfielders comfortable receiving the ball under pressure is important.

Lemar and Buonanotte Change the Creative Ceiling

The most interesting upgrade may be further forward. Facundo Buonanotte gives Elche a natural player between the lines. He can operate as a No. 10, drift wide or receive in the half-spaces. Thomas Lemar adds considerably more experience.

His injury history means Elche should manage his workload carefully, but a fit Lemar offers qualities that are difficult to find in a club of Elche’s profile: close control, passing through compact defensive blocks and the ability to create from central or wide positions.

He scored shortly after arriving, showing why his technical ability could become valuable. Having both Lemar and Buonanotte also prevents Elche from becoming dependent on one creator. That is important against opponents who allow Anselmi’s side possession but defend with numbers behind the ball.

Wide Attack Offers Variety Rather Than One Obvious Star

Germán Valera remains one of the established wide options. Lucas Cepeda adds a more direct left-footed attacker with pace and one-versus-one ability. Tete Morente can play higher or deeper depending on the system, while Diangana adds another technically gifted wide profile.

Ali Houary and younger players can provide additional minutes. There are enough choices here. The bigger question is production. Elche need their wide attackers to turn promising possession into goals and assists more consistently.

Having five possible wide players means little if none becomes a dependable final-third contributor. That makes this an area with good numerical depth but still something to prove in terms of decisive output.

Fer Niño and Ezequiel Ponce Give Anselmi Genuine Striker Competition

The centre-forward department is clearer. Fer Niño has started the season as the main striker and already has two league goals. His physical strength, movement and ability to link play make him useful for a team that wants to progress through possession but still needs a target when playing directly.

Ponce provides legitimate competition rather than emergency cover. He is more aggressive around the penalty area and can give Elche a different attacking reference. Abiel Osorio increases the options further and can also contribute through movement rather than acting purely as a traditional target man.

Last season Elche relied heavily on Rafa Mir, André Silva and Álvaro Rodríguez for goals. All three are now gone. Replacing that production is one of the major tests of the rebuilt attack. Fer Niño’s early contribution is encouraging, but Elche will need goals from more than one centre-forward over a 38-match season.

The Real Depth Test: What Happens When Anselmi Rotates?

The squad now looks capable of absorbing ordinary absences. If a centre-back is unavailable, Lomónaco, Chust, Bigas, Baržić and Sangaré provide alternatives. Redondo, Villar, Aguado and Neto give Anselmi several midfield combinations.

Buonanotte and Lemar can share creative responsibility. Fer Niño and Ponce provide two natural senior strikers. That is a healthier situation than relying on one player in every role. The concern is that many of these combinations are new.

Squad depth is not only about whether another player exists. It is also about whether the replacement can perform without the collective structure becoming weaker. That understanding will take time under a new coach.

Yago Santiago Is the Only Current Injury Absence

Anselmi currently has an unusually healthy squad. Yago Santiago remains unavailable following his knee problem, but the coach otherwise has most of the senior group to choose from.

That allows him to establish his preferred combinations rather than having injuries dictate the lineup. It also means the early defensive problems cannot simply be blamed on unavailable players. The priority now is organisation and familiarity.

No European Football Makes the Squad Size More Manageable

Elche only needs to balance La Liga with the Copa del Rey. That changes the depth requirement considerably. Anselmi does not need two entirely separate starting XIs. He needs enough alternatives to handle injuries, suspensions and form changes while keeping his main group fresh.

The current squad is large enough for that purpose. Cup matches should also provide important minutes for Iturbe, Baržić, Neto, Cepeda, Osorio and younger players who may not immediately establish themselves as league starters.

Overall Squad Depth Assessment

Overall Assessment: Good Depth, but the New Structure Needs Time

Elche have addressed most of the obvious numerical weaknesses in their squad. Central midfield is well stocked. The attacking midfield has been upgraded through Buonanotte and Lemar, while Fer Niño and Ponce provide legitimate competition at centre-forward.

The defensive options also look considerably better following the arrivals of Lomónaco, Revivo and Rubén Sánchez. The early results show that having options does not automatically produce stability. Elche’s main problem is currently defensive cohesion rather than a shortage of defenders.

That distinction matters. The squad looks capable of competing in La Liga. Anselmi’s challenge is finding combinations that allow Elche to keep their ambitious possession style without leaving themselves vulnerable whenever the ball is lost.

Conclusion

Elche CF’s 2026/27 squad is deeper and more technically capable than the one Martín Anselmi inherited at the start of the summer. Fede Redondo strengthens the midfield base, Facundo Buonanotte and Thomas Lemar improve creativity, while Fer Niño and Ezequiel Ponce give Elche two credible centre-forward options.

The defensive rebuild is more difficult to judge immediately. Kevin Lomónaco, Roy Revivo and Rubén Sánchez improve the available profiles, but Anselmi still needs to turn those individual options into a reliable unit.

That is the key difference between Elche’s strengths and weaknesses. The squad now has enough players. The question is whether the new pieces can develop the understanding required to make an ambitious playing style sustainable in La Liga.