Saint-Etienne sign Tunisia prospect Elyes Dhaoui on four-year contract

Saint-Etienne have signed 18-year-old Tunisia midfielder Elyes Dhaoui from Olympique de Beja on a contract running until 2029.

The Ligue 1 club announced the arrival of the young player as part of their plans for the future, with Dhaoui initially set to join the reserve team.

Dhaoui began his football education at Olympique de Beja when he was 12 and progressed through the club’s youth system before making his senior debut in the Tunisian top flight at the age of 16.

Despite still being only 18, he has already made 32 appearances in the Tunisian league. That experience at senior level was a significant factor in his move to Saint-Etienne, although he will first be expected to continue his development with the club’s reserve side.

The midfielder has also built up an extensive record with Tunisia’s youth national teams. He played at a FIFA Under-17 World Cup and represented his country at two Africa Cup of Nations youth tournaments, one at Under-17 level and another at Under-20 level.

Dhaoui has shown leadership qualities during his time with the national teams and has worn the captain’s armband on several occasions.

Saint-Etienne’s football operations director Loic Perrin described the new signing as a player capable of contributing defensively in midfield while already possessing high-level experience.

“milieu recuperateur avec une experience au haut niveau”

Perrin also made clear that the club expects Dhaoui to approach the next stage of his career with ambition. Although the Tunisia international will begin with the reserve team, Saint-Etienne believe he must aim to progress quickly and challenge himself at a higher level.

“Il se doit d’avoir l’ambition d’aller chercher plus haut.”

The long-term contract reflects Saint-Etienne’s intention to support Dhaoui’s development while giving the teenager time to adapt to a new environment. His arrival adds another young option to the club’s midfield ranks and represents the latest step in a career which began at Olympique de Beja more than six years ago.

For Dhaoui, the move brings a new opportunity after establishing himself in Tunisia’s first division and gaining international experience across several youth competitions. His immediate focus will be on reserve-team football, with the club’s leadership expecting his ambition and previous experience to help him move towards the first-team level in the future.