Moroccan striker Youssef El-Arabi has completed a free transfer to French club FC Nantes.
The 38-year-old has signed a two-year contract after a strong season with Cypriot side APOEL, where he scored 14 goals and registered seven assists in 45 matches during the 2024–25 campaign.
El-Arabi returns to Ligue 1 for the first time since leaving SM Caen in 2011. He went on to play in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Spain—where he finished fifth in La Liga’s scoring charts with Granada, netting 16 goals in 35 matches.
In Qatar, he tallied an impressive 107 goals in 95 games with Al-Duhail and claimed two Golden Boots.
Santi Aouna’s social media post announcing the move sparked a wave of fan reactions. “He is the best of North African and Gulf football as both teams vie for supremacy in the Cup of the Free,” one user wrote.
Another added: “I can guarantee 10–12 goals in the league—even at 38 years old.”
FC Nantes hope his experience will bolster their frontline and support the development of younger talents.
