Zakaria El Ayeb: Former Esperance Tunis Midfielder Joins Stade Tunisien on Free Transfer

Stade Tunisien have completed the signing of Tunisian central midfielder Zakaria El Ayeb on a free transfer from the pool of unattached players, with the move officially registered to begin on 2026-07-03. The 23-year-old arrives without a transfer fee after leaving Esperance Tunis and subsequently becoming a free agent, and joins the Ligue 1 side with his contract currently recorded as running until null.

El Ayeb, valued at 50k at the time of the move, strengthens Stade Tunisiens midfield options as they prepare for domestic competition in Tunisias Ligue 1. The deal sees the club acquire a right-footed central midfielder who stands at 1.88m and is listed primarily as a central midfield specialist. His registration shifts from Without Club to Stade Tunisien, confirming his status as a fully contracted player rather than a short-term trialist.

The move follows a brief spell out of contract after his departure from Esperance Tunis. On 2026-07-01, El Ayeb left the Tunisian giants to become a free agent, before sealing his switch to Stade Tunisien two days later. That sequence means he spent only a short window unattached before returning to professional football, avoiding an extended period without a club.

Born on 15 Jan 2003 and holding Tunisian nationality, El Ayeb has developed entirely within Tunisian football structures to date. He previously progressed from Esperance Tunis U21 to the senior Esperance Tunis squad, stepping up from the youth team to the first team on 2023-07-01. His pathway reflects a standard elite development route in Tunisia, moving through the academy of one of the countrys most prominent clubs before seeking minutes and responsibility elsewhere in the top flight.

El Ayebs market value history underlines both his early promise and the recent dip preceding this transfer. While unattached in mid-2023 he was estimated at 75,000 euros, before a sharp rise to 300,000 euros shortly after joining Esperance Tunis. His valuation peaked at 450,000 euros across late 2023 and mid-2024, then declined over the following 12 months, first to 300,000 euros, then 100,000 euros, and finally to 50,000 euros in early June 2026. The free transfer to Stade Tunisien therefore comes at a moment when his theoretical market worth has fallen significantly from its peak.

El Ayebs career to this point has been confined to Tunisia and its top domestic division, but the move keeps him in Ligue 1 and within a competitive environment. The league in which Stade Tunisien compete is recorded as Ligue 1, with the clubs registration based in Tunisia, meaning he continues to operate at the highest national level rather than stepping down to a lower tier or moving abroad.

No recent match data, appearances or detailed statistics are provided in the current information, and there are no recorded international caps or national-team statistics attached to his profile. There is also no published detail on the exact terms or length of his contract with Stade Tunisien beyond the registration period starting on 2026-07-03 and ending on null, so any salary figures, clauses or performance-related elements remain undisclosed.

For El Ayeb, the confirmed transfer is an opportunity to re-establish his value after a period of decline in his market valuation and a very short spell without a club. If he can translate the potential that once pushed his worth towards the higher end of the Tunisian market into consistent performances for Stade Tunisien, this move could yet become the key phase that determines how high his career ceiling ultimately lies.