FEATURE | Adil Bourabaa – Le Mans’ bargain-basement treasure

FEATURE | Adil Bourabaa – Le Mans’ bargain-basement treasure The fact that there was no fire sale at Le Mans FC this summer, following their promotion to Ligue 1, was indicative. Whereas the likes of Mathys Detourbet and Martin Adeline left ESTAC Troyes after getting them promoted to France’s top flight, Les Sang et Or kept their side together, in large part because the success of their campaign was attributed to the astuteness of their manager Patrick Videira. It was Videira, a reported target for RC Lens, who was the most likely candidate to depart. But Le Mans’ individuals have shone in the opening weeks of this Ligue 1 season. Louis Mafouta, a summer signing, has impressed up front, netting three, but the surprise package has come in the form of Adil Bourabaa (21). Just one year ago, he was playing his football with AS Beauvais Oise and prior to that, he was warming the bench of ESTAC Troyes’ reserve side in the National 3; across the 2024/25 season, he played just 493 minutes of football. Bourabaa signed for a mere €15k His contract with L’ESTAC wasn’t renewed in the spring of 2025, offering Bourabaa the chance to rebuild his career, which he seized with both hands. He was only at Beauvais Oise for half a season, racking up 12 league appearances in the National 1 Group B. There was sufficient data for Le Mans to make the low-cost bet on the Algerian midfielder. Bourabaa made the move to Les Sang et Or for a mere €15k. Bourabaa was a regular, featuring 13 times in the league. He made the step up to Ligue 1 this season and he has quickly taken his game to the next level, already bettering his goal contribution tally from last season, which started in the lower divisions of French football before being completed in Ligue 2. Le Mans midfielder earns first Algeria call-up The Algerian already has three goals in Ligue 1, the standout being a sweetly struck long-range drive against OGC Nice. He also scored from range against FC Lorient, but was reliant on a favour from Yvon Mvogo, who let the shot squirm under him; he has also netted a further two assists in the league. At Beuvais, who offered Bourabaa a trial following the expiry of his contract at Troyes, there was disbelief that such a player was allowed to leave without his talent being exploited. He could have been an asset in L’ESTAC’s attempts to stave off relegation this season; instead, he is at Le Mans, whose start-of-season form has given them a march on their rivals for the drop. An all-action, box-to-box midfielder, he is well suited to Videira’s system, which does require the midfielders to put in quite the shift. From a €15k transfer at the start of 2026, by September, he was called up to the Algeria national team for the first time. Elated at having received the call, the Algeria squad was asleep when he arrived at the camp as the replacement for the injured Nabil Bentaleb. Troyes certainly slept on his talent, but it is not an error repeated by Le Mans, who have found their treasure in the bargain-basement. GFFN | Luke Entwistle