Youssef El-Arabi

Following his move to Nantes, El-Arabi's current-season form is up 50% on last season (Season 10→15), while his Rating climbed 7→10. His peak season for form remains 2020/21 (Season 55).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2025/26	Nantes · 17th	25	3	0	6.59	10	15
2024/25	Apoel Nicosia	31	13	1	7.28	—	—
2023/24	Olympiakos Piraeus · 4th	13	4	1	6.89	7	10
2022/23	Olympiakos Piraeus · 3rd	27	5	4	6.71	9	20
2021/22	Olympiakos Piraeus · 4th	34	16	0	—	13	43

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 13 earlier seasons and 1 youth-team spell in the full career.

Morocco · international

Side	Apps	G
Morocco	21	6

Career caps & goals — tournament breakdown in the full career.

Scout report

Experienced headCentre-forward

Y. El-Arabi is a 39-year-old centre-forward at Nantes, enjoying a standout season — 3 goals and 0 assists in 25 appearances, a Season grade of 15, top 91% of Ligue 1 centre-forwards. On long-term scout potential he's rated 10.3, ranking 336th of 337 in the Ligue 1. A seasoned veteran, he has been a fringe squad member (33% of available minutes). He brings 0.28 goal contributions per 90 (0.28 goals, 0 assists). Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on El-Arabi.

Judged on this season alone, El-Arabi graded 15 — a workmanlike campaign that ranks 32nd of 35 of the 35 centre-forwards in the Ligue 1, on 3 goals and 0 assists in 25 appearances (0.276 involvements per 90).

Year-on-year, that's a clear step up on last season (Season 10 → 15). Over the 5 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2020/21.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 10, 35th of 35 of the 35 centre-forwards in the Ligue 1. At 39 El-Arabi is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 2.5 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Below his 2020/21 peak but holding a solid level — the platform for a return is there.

Peak: 2020/21Holding levelStreaky

Current potential35th of 35 centre-forwards · Ligue 1 Current season32nd of 35 centre-forwards · Ligue 132nd-best centre-forward in the Ligue 1336th in the Ligue 1 · potential35th-highest potential centre-forward in the Ligue 1

10.3

Ratingi

35th of 35 centre-forwards

14.6

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

33%

Minutes

limited game time

0.28

Goal contrib / 90

modest end product

Output in context · Nantes finished 17th of 18 · a relegation-threatened side

Goals

Assists

G+A

0.12

Goals / app

3 goals in 25 appearances (0.12 per game) — light end product the role wants to see climb.

Watch points

Game time. Only 33% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
Output. 0.28 contributions per 90 is light for an attacking role — end product needs to climb.
Age curve. At 39, both level and resale value are on the downslope.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

With a Rating of 10.3, El-Arabi carries the 35th-highest potential of the centre-forwards in the Ligue 1 of 35, and he is posting that for a relegation-threatened side (Nantes finished 17th of 18) — individual numbers are harder to earn on a struggling team, so his underlying level likely sits a touch above the ranking. In the final third he profiles as a work-in-progress on end product (0.28 goal contributions per 90). Veteran phase — a short-term, lower-fee proposition as both level and value decline (0.5× and falling).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %33%

Available fixtures33 of 33

Goals / 900.276

Assists / 900

Goal contribution / 900.276

Defensive actions / 901.471

Player flow

Goal involvements3

Shot conversion %33.3

Shot accuracy %69.2

Pass accuracy %63

Dribble success %30

Cards / 900

Foul involvement / 904.137

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~10), then tapers with age. At 39, El-Arabi sits on 2.5, past its peak and easing. The blue line is El-Arabi's projected Rating — 10.3 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among centre-forwards in the Ligue 1 with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals3

Shots on target9

Shots13

Passing

Assists0

Pass accuracy63%

Possession

Successful dribbles6

Dribble success30%

Fouls won23

Defending

Tackles12

Interceptions3

Blocks1

Fouls committed22

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards0

Red cards0

Transfer history

€12.5M total transfer fees · 7 moves

Free agent2026/27 – nowFree

Nantes2025/26 – 2026/27

Apoel Nicosia2024/25 – 2025/26Free

Olympiakos Piraeus2019/20 – 2024/25Free

AAl-Duhail SC2016/17 – 2019/20Free

Granada CF2012/13 – 2016/17€ 5M

Al-Hilal Saudi FC2011/12 – 2012/13€ 7.5M

Caenuntil 2011/12

About Y. El-Arabi

Youssef El-Arabi is a 39-year-old centre-forward who plays for Nantes, born on February 3, 1987 in Caen, standing 183 cm tall. He is from Morocco. Nantes currently sit 17th of 18 in the Ligue 1.

This season

In the current season, Y. El-Arabi has made 25 appearances with 3 goals and 0 assists across 979 minutes, averaging a 6.52 match rating over his last 10 rated games. His season has spanned the Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France.

When Y. El-Arabi plays, Nantes's record this season is 4W-6D-17L — and his match ratings average 6.6 at home against 6.62 on the road.

Recent matches

May 8, 2026: 0-1 loss away at Lens (8 minutes, 6.6 rating)
April 26, 2026: 1-2 loss away at Rennes (13 minutes, 6.3 rating)
April 22, 2026: 0-3 loss away at Paris Saint Germain (10 minutes, 6.2 rating)
March 1, 2026: 0-1 loss away at Lille (63 minutes, 6.5 rating)
February 22, 2026: 2-0 win at home vs Le Havre (90 minutes, 6.7 rating)
February 13, 2026: 1-3 loss away at Monaco (12 minutes, 6.5 rating)
February 7, 2026: 0-1 loss at home vs Lyon (45 minutes, 6.5 rating)
January 31, 2026: 1-2 loss away at Lorient (13 minutes, 6.7 rating)
January 25, 2026: 1-4 loss at home vs Nice (8 minutes, 6.5 rating)
January 18, 2026: 1-2 loss at home vs Paris FC (65 minutes, 6.7 rating)

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates Y. El-Arabi at 10.3 with a Season form score of 14.6, ranking 336th of 337 centre-forwards in the Ligue 1. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 20 career titles — among them the Super Cup and the UEFA Conference League. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 18 recorded seasons, Y. El-Arabi has totalled 495 club appearances with 248 goals and 8 assists for 8 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2010/11, with 38 appearances for Caen.

Y. El-Arabi's career has also included time at Apoel Nicosia, Olympiakos Piraeus, AAl-Duhail SC, Granada CF, Al-Hilal Saudi FC and Caen.

On the international stage, Y. El-Arabi has represented Morocco — 21 caps and 6 goals in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Performance data · by competition

Career

Scout report

Output in context · Nantes finished 17th of 18 · a relegation-threatened side

Watch points