Levante UD Squad Depth 2026/27: Full Analysis

Levante UD enter 2026/27 with a squad that looks substantially different from the one that secured La Liga survival last season.

Luís Castro remains in charge after taking over during the previous campaign, and the summer recruitment reflects his preference for younger, technically capable players who can handle the ball while still competing physically.

Aïssa Mandi and Ifeanyi Ndukwe strengthen the defence. Hugo Sotelo, Dani Requena, Thiago Fernández, Enzo Bardeli and Axel Tape have significantly reshaped the midfield, while Yanis Musuayi and Petar Ratkov increase the attacking options.

The departures of players such as Carlos Álvarez and Carlos Espí also mean that some of last season’s attacking responsibility has moved elsewhere.

Levante’s first four league matches have produced one win, two draws and one defeat. The 5-2 victory over Real Betis showed the attacking potential of the new group, while goalless draws against Osasuna and Málaga underline that Castro is still working out his strongest combinations.

Levante UD’s 2026/27 Squad at a Glance

The current first-team group includes:

Goalkeepers: Mathew Ryan, Pablo Cuñat, Álex Primo
Defenders: Aïssa Mandi, Ifeanyi Ndukwe, Dela, Jorge Cabello, Víctor García, Jeremy Toljan, Manu Sánchez, Nacho Pérez, Marc Santos
Central midfield: Hugo Sotelo, Dani Requena, Jon Ander Olasagasti, Axel Tape, Enzo Bardeli, Oriol Rey, Thiago Fernández, Paco Cortés
Forwards: Roger Brugué, Iván Romero, Petar Ratkov, Yanis Musuayi, Etta Eyong

That is not an oversized squad, but several players can cover more than one role.

Goalkeeper Has Experience at the Top

Mathew Ryan has started all four league matches. His international experience and ability with the ball make him a useful fit for a coach who wants Levante to play rather than immediately clear possession whenever opponents press.

Pablo Cuñat and Álex Primo provide the alternatives. The hierarchy is fairly obvious, with Ryan carrying substantially more senior experience than the other options.

That makes the goalkeeper position adequately covered rather than genuinely deep. Levante can rotate in cup matches, but losing Ryan for a prolonged period would place significantly more responsibility on a younger goalkeeper.

The Defence Has Better Variety

Dela remains one of the established figures in central defence and has already contributed at both ends of the pitch, including scoring against Real Betis.

The arrival of Aïssa Mandi gives Castro an experienced defender who has played extensively at international and European level. Ndukwe provides a younger option, while Cabello and Marc Santos increase the number of natural defensive alternatives.

What makes the group useful is the flexibility around it. Toljan can operate at right-back, Manu Sánchez gives Levante a natural left-sided defender, and Nacho Pérez has already been used regularly. Víctor García can also contribute from wider defensive positions.

The question is not really whether Castro has enough defenders. He does. The bigger issue is the quality drop when several starters are unavailable simultaneously. Some of the alternatives are young and still establishing themselves at this level. For a domestic-only campaign, however, the defensive numbers are reasonable.

Midfield Is the Most Interesting Part of the Rebuild

Levante have changed this department significantly. Oriol Rey and Olasagasti provide continuity, but Castro now has several additional profiles around them. Hugo Sotelo arrives with La Liga experience and gives the team another midfielder comfortable receiving possession deep.

Enzo Bardeli offers technical quality and the ability to play higher up the pitch. He has already made an immediate impact, scoring in the victory over Betis. Thiago Fernández provides another attack-minded option who can receive between the lines or move toward wider areas.

Dani Requena adds energy and defensive work, while Axel Tape gives Castro additional physicality and versatility. Paco Cortés remains another option from within the club structure.

The important improvement is not simply the number of midfielders. It is that Castro can now change the midfield according to the opponent. He can select more possession-oriented combinations or add greater athleticism when Levante expect to defend and counter.

Is There Enough Creativity?

This is where the loss of Carlos Álvarez matters. Levante have several technically capable midfielders, particularly Bardeli and Thiago, but the squad no longer contains one obvious established attacking midfielder around whom everything must run.

That can be positive if creativity becomes more evenly distributed. Brugué can create from wider positions, Thiago can move inside, and Bardeli can contribute between midfield and attack. Hugo Sotelo can also help progression from deeper areas.

The risk is that Levante become functional without creating enough clear chances when opponents sit deep. The Betis match showed what the attack can look like when spaces open. Breaking down compact opponents may provide a more difficult test.

The Forward Line Has Different Profiles

Iván Romero remains an important central option and has started three of the opening four league matches. He works hard without the ball and can connect with attacking midfielders rather than remaining permanently inside the penalty area.

Petar Ratkov arrived on deadline day and adds another natural centre-forward. His presence is important because it prevents Levante from asking Romero to handle every match.

Yanis Musuayi gives Castro another younger attacking option. Etta Eyong is already familiar with the system and can play centrally or contribute from different attacking positions, although he is currently recovering from a rectus femoris injury.

Roger Brugué remains particularly important because of his versatility and goal threat. His two goals against Betis were a reminder that Levante’s scoring does not have to come exclusively from the No. 9.

The forward group therefore has reasonable variety. What remains less certain is whether one of the centre-forwards can become a consistent double-digit league scorer.

Etta Eyong’s Injury Tests the New Depth

Eyong missed the draw against Málaga after suffering a muscle injury in training. The club has not given a fixed return date and has stated that his recovery will depend on his progress. This is exactly the type of absence that reveals whether the summer recruitment worked.

Last season, losing an important forward could quickly limit Castro’s attacking choices. He can now turn to Romero, Ratkov, Musuayi and Brugué without having to use a midfielder as an emergency striker. The alternatives are not identical, but they allow Levante to maintain a recognisable attacking structure.

Luís Castro Has More Tactical Choices

Levante have already moved between different midfield and attacking structures. They began the season using a 4-2-3-1 and have also played a 4-1-4-1, including in the draws against Málaga and Osasuna and the win over Betis.

The squad suits that flexibility. Oriol Rey can anchor midfield alone. Olasagasti and Hugo Sotelo can help control possession. Bardeli and Thiago can move closer to the striker.

Mandi can bring greater experience to the defence, while the younger defenders provide more athletic alternatives. This means rotation does not always require Castro to change the entire way Levante play. That is one of the more useful forms of squad depth.

Where Is the Biggest Drop-Off?

The current squad looks strongest in central midfield. There are enough options there for Castro to lose one player without having to redesign the team. Defence has adequate numbers as well, particularly because several players can cover multiple positions.

The larger uncertainties are further forward and in goal. Ryan carries much more experience than Levante’s other goalkeepers. In attack, there are several options, but the club still needs to determine who can reliably produce goals across an entire La Liga season.

Ratkov and Musuayi are new. Eyong is injured. Romero has useful qualities but should not be expected to carry the scoring burden alone. That makes attacking output more of a concern than attacking numbers.

No European Football Helps

Levante only need to manage La Liga and the Copa del Rey. That is important when assessing a squad of this size. Castro does not need 22 players capable of starting every week.

He needs a strong core supplemented by reliable alternatives when injuries, suspensions or poor form appear. The current group is built reasonably well for that workload.

The immediate schedule does contain a demanding run, with Barcelona, Athletic Club and Villarreal following the Málaga draw, but Levante will generally have more recovery time than clubs competing in Europe.

Overall Squad Depth Assessment

Overall Assessment: Balanced, With Midfield the Main Strength

Levante’s summer business has made the squad younger and more flexible. Midfield is the clearest strength because Castro has multiple combinations available through Oriol Rey, Olasagasti, Hugo Sotelo, Bardeli, Thiago, Requena and Tape.

The defence contains enough senior and developing options for a domestic campaign. Attack is harder to judge. There are sufficient players, but the key question is whether Romero, Ratkov, Eyong, Musuayi and Brugué can provide enough goals collectively.

The difference matters. Levante do not appear short of forwards. They still need to prove they have enough consistent scoring.

Conclusion

Levante UD’s 2026/27 squad is deeper in midfield and more flexible tactically than it was last season. Aïssa Mandi adds experience to the defence, while Hugo Sotelo, Enzo Bardeli, Thiago Fernández, Dani Requena and Axel Tape give Luís Castro considerably more choice in midfield.

Petar Ratkov and Yanis Musuayi also increase the options around Iván Romero and Etta Eyong. The squad does not contain the depth of La Liga’s European contenders, nor does it need to.

For Levante, the important question is whether Castro has credible replacements when a regular starter is unavailable. In most positions, the answer now appears to be yes.

The remaining issue is attacking efficiency. If the new forward group can turn Levante’s improved midfield play into consistent goals, the squad should be much better equipped to handle the demands of another full La Liga season.