Elche will have next season in the First Division with only three players, Gonzalo Verdú, Juan Francisco Martínez ‘Nino’ and Josan Ferrández, who were the protagonists of the last promotion to Second Division, two and a half years ago.
That squad was renewed over the next two seasons, although it always maintained the backbone of the team that achieved promotion, with the coach, José Rojo ‘Pacheta’, at the helm.
The non-continuity of the Castilian coach has been accompanied by that of several players who were basic in Second and in the last two years in First, such as winger Iván Sánchez, full-back Sergio Blázquez 'Tekio' or midfielder Manuel Sánchez.
Gonzalo Verdú is the one who has always remained as a starter in the team since his signing in July 2017, when the team just collapsed to Second B.
Nino, despite his history in the entity, was about to be left out of the Elche team that same season during the winter market, but the council stopped the request of the then coach, Josico Moreno, who would be dismissed shortly after.
A goal from Nino this past season
Josan, for his part, joined the group in the winter market and was instrumental in helping them get promoted, fourth in his career and fourth in a row in another four years.
At that time, the young full-back Oscar Gil, now a starter, was already in that squad, although his contribution to the first team at that time was limited to appearing in some training and being part of a call.
The renewal of Elche in this period goes beyond the dressing room, since in addition to changing almost all its players, neither the sports director is the same (Nico Rodríguez for Jorge Cordero), nor the president (Joaquín Buitrago for Diego García) nor the owner of the entity (Christian Bragarnik by José Sepulcre).