Lounes El Haddaoui: Franco-Moroccan forward seals free transfer from RC Epernay to Reims Sainte-Anne

Lounes El Haddaoui has completed a free transfer from RC Epernay Champagne to EF Reims Sainte-Anne, returning to the Reims-based club as a 19-year-old centre-forward with dual French and Moroccan nationality. The move is registered as a standard free transfer and takes effect from 2026-07-03, with the young attacker joining without a disclosed contract end date.

El Haddaoui arrives at Reims Sainte-Anne having most recently been on the books of RC Epernay, where he was part of the Champagne clubs senior set-up after an initial spell in their youth ranks. The latest switch is recorded in the French system outside a specified league, with both Epernay and Reims Sainte-Anne listed under a non-designated competition structure, but the transfer itself is confirmed and completed rather than speculative.

Born in Reims and standing 1.81 metres tall, El Haddaoui is registered primarily as an attacking centre-forward, with his main position defined through the middle of the front line. His profile on the professional databases lists him with nationalities of France and Morocco, underlining his eligibility for either country at international level. He is currently associated with EF Reims Sainte-Anne as his national-team designation, indicating his integration into the clubs broader footballing structure.

The forwards career path already shows a notable amount of movement for his age. After emerging at RC Epernay Champagne U17, he first joined EF Reims Sainte-Anne B, moving there in a standard transfer. He then left for Olympique Marcquois Football U19, continuing his progression within French youth football. From there, he returned to RC Epernay Champagnes senior side, again via a standard move, before now rejoining Reims Sainte-Annes first team on a permanent basis.

Reims Sainte-Anne know the player well from his earlier spell with their B team, and his latest switch effectively reunites him with a familiar environment in his home city. While there is no official market value listed for El Haddaoui, the decision to bring him in on a free transfer minimises financial risk for the club while securing a locally trained attacker entering a key development phase of his career.

No recent match data, appearances, or scoring statistics are recorded in the available information, and there are no details of his performances in specific fixtures. However, his repeated recruitment by clubs within the same regional network, often through standard transfers rather than short-term arrangements, suggests a continued belief in his potential across multiple age categories and senior levels.

With the contract start logged and no expiry date yet specified, El Haddaouis immediate future is clearly tied to EF Reims Sainte-Anne. The move keeps him in France rather than in Morocco, and how he adapts to first-team demands at his new club will go a long way towards determining the trajectory of a career that is still at an early, but increasingly decisive, stage.