Lautaro Blanco, the Argentine left back, arrived in Elche ready to begin his first training session with Elche CF during the winter transfer window. The 23-year-old defender touched down in the city well ahead of the rest of the squad, joining head coach Pablo Machín and the wider group as the club’s cameras captured the early moments of his introduction. From the moment he stepped off the plane into Spain, Elche’s media team followed his welcome, his initial conversations with the coaching staff, and his early interactions with teammates, as well as the medical and support staff who would accompany him through the transition.
Video footage released by Elche CF shows Blanco arriving at the airport and then making his way to the Martínez Valero stadium with a scarf in the club’s colors draped casually over his shoulders. He entered the locker room where Machín and the staff were assembling the squad for the training session, and Blanco began to blend into Elche’s daily training rhythm, familiarizing himself with the club’s routines, drills, and the tempo expected on a typical winter day at the training complex.
⚪️Welcome to the new member of the Franjiverde family ⚪️
— Elche Football Club
Blanco was later confirmed to travel with the squad for a training camp at the Nova Oliva Golf facilities in Valencia. The trip gave him a chance to acclimate to the club’s style and demands while the coaching staff evaluated how well he could fit within the tactical system. The club also explained that Blanco would not be eligible for the first two competitive fixtures after the winter break due to registration timing and squad rules. He would remain in active preparation with the group to ensure a smooth integration once registration reopened and official matches could resume.
As the winter market unfolds, player registrations are set to reopen in January. That window will determine when Blanco can participate in official matches. The club emphasized his readiness to contribute once those formalities are completed, keeping training and conditioning as a priority during the interim period. The broader plan highlighted a gradual integration, allowing Blanco to adapt to Elche’s tempo, pressing approach, and the tactical expectations established by Machín and his assistants. The coaching staff stressed the importance of a measured onboarding, focusing on connectivity with teammates, understanding the club’s defensive shape, and building chemistry with midfielders and forwards to support Elche’s attacking plans during the second half of the season.