Ismael Gharbi: Tunisia midfielder joins Leganes on season-long loan from Braga

Ismael Gharbi has joined Spanish second-tier side CD Leganes on a season-long loan from Sporting Braga, with the deal including an option for the La Liga 2 club to make the move permanent.

The 22-year-old Tunisia international heads to Spain days after featuring at the 2026 World Cup, where he played in all three of Tunisia’s group matches against Sweden, Japan and the Netherlands, starting the game against the Dutch.

Gharbi remains under contract with Braga until 2029 and is currently valued at around €5m. In Portugal, his salary was €480,000 per year, equivalent to 312,000,000 FCFA.

World Cup and international rise

Born in Paris, Gharbi represented Tunisia at the 2026 World Cup after breaking into the national team set-up. During the tournament he was used throughout the group stage, underlining his growing importance for the Carthage Eagles.

His loan to Leganes follows a demanding campaign in which he combined club duties in Europe with international commitments at the Africa Cup of Nations and then the World Cup.

From PSG academy to European experience

A product of the Paris Saint-Germain youth system, Gharbi made his professional debut for the French champions in 2021. Seeking regular first-team football, he left on loan to Lausanne-Sport for the 2023-24 season.

In Switzerland, the attacking midfielder impressed in the Super League, scoring seven goals and providing six assists, which helped raise his profile on the European stage.

Those performances prompted a permanent move to Sporting Braga in the summer of 2024. In his first season in Portugal, Gharbi made 35 appearances and gained his first experience of European competition in the Europa League.

Loan spells to boost development

Braga opted to send Gharbi on loan to Augsburg last season, allowing him to experience the Bundesliga. That spell in Germany, followed by international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup, has added to a diverse early career across several top European leagues.

The latest move to Leganes offers Gharbi the opportunity for consistent minutes in a competitive environment, with the Spanish club retaining the possibility of signing him permanently if he impresses in La Liga 2.