Maroan Sannadi Scouting Report: The 6ft 4in Reference Striker Waiting in Terzić’s Squad
Maroan Sannadi
Quick Answer
Maroan Sannadi is a right-footed, 1.92m centre-forward born on 1 February 2001 in Vitoria-Gasteiz to Moroccan parents. He wears 21 for Athletic Club, who signed him from Alavés in February 2025 for a reported €3 million plus add-ons on a deal running to 30 June 2029. His story is one of injuries and tight competition: right meniscus surgery in November 2025 kept him out for about four months, and under Edin Terzić in 2026-27 he has yet to establish a routine place. In La Liga he has 5 appearances, 1 start and 185 minutes, with no goals or assists. The short version: the physical profile and the scoring record from Ariznabarra to Barakaldo are real, but a consistent rhythm at the top level is still unproven.
Player Profile
| Full name | Maroan Sannadi Harrouch |
| Date of birth | 1 February 2001 |
| Age | 25 |
| Place of birth | Vitoria-Gasteiz (Álava), Spain |
| Nationality / national team | Born in Spain; Morocco senior international (3 caps, 0 goals; debuted in a 2-0 friendly win over Tunisia on 6 June 2025) |
| Height / weight | 1.92 m / 87 kg (Spanish Wikipedia) |
| Foot | Right (FútbolFantasy) |
| Position | Centre-forward (box-presence reference striker) |
| Club / shirt | Athletic Club / 21 |
| Contract | 30 June 2029 (FútbolFantasy) |
| Nickname | El Elefante Africano |
Career and Transfer History
| Period | Club | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Youth | CD Lakua, CD Aurrera (Vitoria) | Lakua has had a cooperation agreement with Athletic since 2002 |
| 2020-21 | CD Ariznabarra (Tercera División) | 4 goals; first senior season |
| 2021-22 | CD San Ignacio (Tercera RFEF) | 16 goals; first big scoring season |
| 2022-24 | Deportivo Alavés B (Segunda Federación) | 59 games and 17 goals over two seasons; renewed to 2027 in February 2024 |
| 2024-25 | Barakaldo CF (loan, Primera Federación) | 11 goals in 22 games |
| 1 Feb 2025 | Athletic Club | ~€3M plus add-ons; moved without playing for Alavés’ first team |
| 8 Feb 2025 | Athletic debut | Girona 3-0; first La Liga goal on 23 February 2025 in the 7-1 win over Valladolid |
| 17 Aug 2025 | Sevilla 3-2 | Scored on opening day |
| Nov 2025 – Apr 2026 | Right meniscus surgery | Operated on 3 November, out for about four months; returned for the last 18 minutes against Getafe on 5 April 2026 |
| Jul 2026 | Left knee (proximal tibiofibular joint) | Complaint in a pre-season friendly; FútbolFantasy logs an 8-day interruption |
Season Statistics (2024-2027)
| 2026-27 — Athletic Club (La Liga) | |
| Apps / starts / minutes | 5 apps / 1 start / 185 min (FútbolFantasy); in the squad but unused against Rayo (matchday 8) |
| Goals / assists | 0 / 0 |
| Shots / on target | 5 / 1 |
| Passing | 14/22 (64%) |
| Dribbles | 2 successful |
| Aerial duels won | 4 |
| Possessions lost | 12 |
| Fouls won / committed | 8 / 2 |
| Cards / penalties | 1 yellow / 1 penalty won |
| Earlier seasons | |
| 2024-25 (Athletic) | English Wikipedia: 16 league games, 1 goal (+ 6 Europa League games); Spanish Wikipedia gives 22 games, 1 goal overall |
| 2025-26 (Athletic) | 10-11 games, 1 goal (Sevilla) + 1 Champions League game; most of the season lost to injury |
Data note: Athletic appearance totals differ between sources (English Wikipedia 16 / Spanish Wikipedia 22 for 2024-25; 10 / 11 for 2025-26). The 185 minutes in 2026-27 are a very small sample, so no per-90 rates are calculated. FútbolFantasy press ratings: Valencia 6, Alavés 5, Elche 5, Sevilla 4.
Who is he? From Vitoria’s lower leagues to Athletic
Sannadi took a route into Athletic’s Basque pool that few noticed. He came through Lakua and Aurrera, scored 4 in the Tercera at Ariznabarra and 16 at San Ignacio, then moved to Alavés B. Seventeen goals in 59 games over two seasons there was steady rather than spectacular; the real jump came on loan at Barakaldo in 2024-25, with 11 goals in 22 games in the Primera Federación. Athletic signed him in February 2025 for a reported €3 million plus add-ons before he had played a minute for Alavés’ first team. It was a rare investment: a player from inside the Basque Country but from a rival club, bought largely on physical profile.
His national-team choice is part of the story too. Born in Spain to Moroccan parents, he opted for Morocco, debuted against Tunisia on 6 June 2025 and became the first Athletic player to appear for a North African or Arab country at senior level. He has three caps and no goals.
Playing profile: box presence, aerial threat, link-up
At 1.92m and 87kg, Sannadi’s job at Athletic is clear: a reference striker who holds up long balls, leans on centre-backs and is ready in the box for crosses from the wings. Sources describe him as physically strong, capable of linking play, but somewhat raw in his movement. Starting 2025-26 with a goal against Sevilla, and being preferred to Gorka Guruzeta in some key matches, showed the coaching staff saw a scenario in which he could play.
This season’s numbers are cautious: 5 shots in 185 minutes, 1 on target; 14 of 22 passes completed (64%) and 12 possessions lost. That is low for a starting striker, though in a role built around long balls and second-ball fights the pass percentage alone can mislead. One more data point stands out: 8 fouls won and 1 penalty won. He gives defenders a physical problem.
The Terzić era: reference striker against Levante
In the postponed matchday-6 game lost 3-1 at Levante on 21 October 2026, Sannadi was in the line-up Terzić had planned weeks earlier for the match that was suspended on 16 September because of weather, as the reference striker; it is his only start of the season. After the game Terzić explained that late on they moved to a diamond-style 4-4-2 pressing shape, bringing Iñaki Williams on as a second striker beside Sannadi. Athletic are 13th, winless in the league since 5 September, and Gorka Guruzeta is out for the season with a left knee injury. That opens a real window for Sannadi in the coming weeks.
Injury history
He had right meniscus surgery on 3 November 2025, was out for about four months and missed most of the Champions League campaign and the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. He returned for the last 18 minutes against Getafe on 5 April 2026. In pre-season in July 2026 he had a problem in the proximal tibiofibular joint of the left knee; FútbolFantasy logs an 8-day interruption and now rates his injury risk as low. There is a record of partial training in mid-October. For a centre-forward, recurring knee issues are a direct risk item in the scouting verdict.
Strengths
- Aerial threat and physical presence — 1.92m and 87kg; 4 aerial duels won and 8 fouls won in 185 minutes, constant contact with centre-backs.
- Box-presence reference role — Chosen as reference striker in the Levante line-up Terzić designed; a number 9 ready for crosses and second balls.
- Scoring record in lower leagues — 16 at San Ignacio, 11 in 22 games at Barakaldo; he has found goals at several levels.
- Contract length and fit — Signed to 2029, Basque-born profile, fully aligned with Athletic’s local-pool policy.
- National-team option — Born in Spain, Morocco international; adds a North African market link for the club.
Development Areas and Risks
- Injury history — Right meniscus surgery (November 2025), left knee complaint in July 2026; rhythm lost after four months out.
- Low minutes, low output — 5 games, 185 minutes, 0 goals, 0 assists; only 1 of 5 shots on target.
- Passing and losses — 14/22 passes, 12 possessions lost; the link-up quality does not show in the numbers.
- Competition — Guruzeta’s injury opened the door, but Iñaki Williams and Terzić’s diamond/4-4-2 switches widen the forward options.
- Data uncertainty — Appearance counts differ between sources; Wikipedia shows inconsistencies in career totals.
Cost Scenarios
| Scenario | Estimated profile | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Low cost | If Athletic move towards sending out a rotation striker: loan with a purchase option | Sensible — as a second-striker option with the injury history priced in, the risk is controlled |
| Realistic cost | The ~€3M Athletic paid in 2025 is the reference; a current market value could not be confirmed for this report | Cautious — with a deal to 2029 Athletic hold the leverage; the exact price must be confirmed separately |
GegenSports Scout Ratings (/100)
| Technical quality | 62 |
| Tactical understanding | 64 |
| Physical capacity | 76 |
| Aerial ability | 78 |
| Decision-making | 60 |
| Finishing | 58 |
| Attacking contribution | 60 |
| Mental resilience | 68 |
| Adaptation probability | 66 |
| Development potential | 66 |
| Overall | 64 / 100 |
These ratings are GegenSports’ own editorial assessment and are not copied from any outside platform. The finishing score rests on one shot on target from five and no goals; the physical score on aerial and fouls-won data. Given the small sample the ratings indicate direction, not certainty.
Similar Players
| Comparison | Why similar | Key difference |
|---|---|---|
| Gorka Guruzeta (Athletic Club) | Same club and the same reference-striker role; a box number 9 | Guruzeta works harder, built on pressing and movement; Sannadi is taller, more physical and aerially inclined. With Guruzeta injured the difference matters now |
| Aritz Aduriz (Athletic legend) | Athletic’s box-reference and aerial tradition | A role comparison only; Aduriz’s scoring efficiency has not yet been seen in Sannadi |
Sporting Director’s Note
| Transfer purpose | A physically strong, locally rooted back-up centre-forward on a long contract; a rotation and late-game option |
| Squad role | Back-up striker / late-game box reference; evidence needed for starting duty |
| Main risk | Recurring knee history; 185-minute sample; low passing and shots-on-target rates; Athletic’s reluctance to release local players |
| Main opportunity | Guruzeta’s season-ending injury; Terzić’s diamond/4-4-2 calls for a second-striker pair; upside from a very small sample |
| Scout decision | KEEP MONITORING. Watch minutes, shots on target and goal output in November-December 2026; any loan signal should be judged only in the January window. No purchase recommendation at this stage. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Maroan Sannadi?
A 2001-born, 1.92m centre-forward from Vitoria at Athletic Club. He scored his way up through Alavés B and Barakaldo, joined Athletic in February 2025 and has three caps for Morocco.
How old is Maroan Sannadi?
25; born on 1 February 2001.
How much did Athletic pay for Sannadi?
Reportedly around €3 million plus add-ons; no official figure was published. His contract runs to 30 June 2029.
What injuries has Sannadi had?
Right meniscus surgery in November 2025 (about four months out) and a left-knee proximal tibiofibular joint complaint in July 2026.
How many minutes has Sannadi played in 2026-27?
According to FútbolFantasy, 185 minutes in 5 games, 1 start (Levante), 0 goals, 0 assists.
Which national team does Sannadi play for?
Morocco; he debuted against Tunisia on 6 June 2025 and has three caps.
Sources and Data Note
This report draws on Wikipedia (EN/ES), the FútbolFantasy player page, Bilbao Hiria, El Gol Digital, Infobae and club announcements. Tactical commentary and ratings are GegenSports’ own scouting analysis; no other scouting site’s text has been translated or paraphrased. Market value is left out because it could not be confirmed.
- Athletic Club official announcement — 1 February 2025 ‘Athletic Club sign forward Maroan Sannadi’
- Wikipedia EN/ES — Maroan Sannadi (career, surgery, Morocco)
- FútbolFantasy — Maroan Sannadi player page, 2026-27 stats, 2029 contract, right foot
- Bilbao Hiria — Terzić press conference, Levante 3-1 Athletic (21 October 2026)
- El Gol Digital — Levante-Athletic 3-1 analysis, Sannadi ‘delantero referencia’
- Infobae/EFE — Levante-Athletic match report (21 October 2026)
Last updated: 24 October 2026
