Mérida AD have completed the signing of centre-forward Sofiane El Ftouhi from UD Ibiza, adding the 25-year-old to their attack in a deal that takes effect from 02/02/2026. The France- and Morocco-qualified striker arrives with a current market valuation of €150k and moves within Spanish football from Primera Federación – Grupo II to Primera Federación – Grupo I.
The transfer is listed without a disclosed fee, indicating that Mérida AD have secured the player on terms that have not been made public. El Ftouhi, who stands 1.85m tall and operates primarily as a central striker, joins Mérida ahead of the remaining stretch of the 25/26 campaign, with his contract with the Extremadura club registered to run until 30/06/2027.
Before the switch to Mérida AD, El Ftouhi had only recently joined UD Ibiza from AD Ceuta FC in the same 25/26 season, underlining a rapid rise through the Spanish lower divisions. His transfer history shows a steady progression: from Nîmes Olympique’s U19 side to Nîmes Olympique B in France, then to AS Nancy-Lorraine B, before moving to Spain with AD Ceuta FC B. Promotion to AD Ceuta FC’s first team followed, after which he had a loan spell at Atlético Sanluqueño CF in the 24/25 season, returning to Ceuta and then stepping up to UD Ibiza.
That trajectory has been mirrored by a clear upward trend in his market valuation. From €50k at Nîmes Olympique B, his value dipped to zero at AS Nancy-Lorraine B, then climbed sharply at AD Ceuta FC, where he was rated at €100k across 2024. A productive spell at Atlético Sanluqueño CF coincided with a further rise to €150k in mid-2025, a figure that was maintained following his move to UD Ibiza later that year and which now accompanies him to Mérida AD.
El Ftouhi’s experience is still rooted largely in developmental and semi-professional environments, but he has already accumulated minutes across multiple clubs and leagues in France and Spain. He has been registered in Spain’s Primera Federación structure both in Grupo II with UD Ibiza and now in Grupo I with Mérida, giving him familiarity with the demands of the third tier of Spanish football. His dual nationality, representing both France and Morocco, adds an international dimension, although there is no senior national-team activity recorded in the data.
The forward’s club pathway indicates no major injuries or prolonged gaps in his career, with consecutive moves almost every season from 2018 onwards. His contract history and recent market-value increases suggest a player on a developmental curve rather than at his peak, with Mérida AD effectively betting on further improvement during the term of his deal through to 2027.
While no appearance or goal statistics for the current season are provided in the data, the pattern of transfers—loaned out for game time at Atlético Sanluqueño, then quickly picked up by UD Ibiza and now Mérida—implies that El Ftouhi has done enough to convince several technical staffs across Spain’s competitive lower leagues. His presence gives Mérida AD another option through the middle, with the physical profile to act as a focal point in attack.
Should he maintain his upward trajectory, the move to Mérida AD could serve as a stabilising chapter after a series of short spells, offering the continuity needed to translate potential into consistent performances across Primera Federación – Grupo I.
