SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio FC announced on Monday the club had signed midfielder Sofiane Djeffal. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed, and Djeffal will be available for selection when San Antonio visits Memphis 901 FC this Saturday night at AutoZone Park.

Djeffal joins San Antonio having most recently competed for fellow USL Championship squad Orange County SC during the first half of the 2024 campaign. Djeffal recorded 882 minutes in 12 appearances and scored once, which proved the side’s game-winning goal against FC Tulsa on March 30.

“Sofiane is a box-to-box center midfielder recognized for his winning mentality and high standards,” said SAFC Head Coach Alen Marcina. “He is skilled on both sides of the ball, and we are eager to integrate him into the team quickly.”

Prior to joining Orange County, the 25-year-old spent time with MLS side Austin FC, making nine appearances during the 2023 campaign across all competitions, including one start in the team’s Concacaf Champions League campaign. Djeffal began his professional career in 2022 after being drafted by D.C. United as the 36th overall pick in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft.

Analysis

French midfielder Sofiane Djeffal remains in the USL Championship’s Western Conference as he joins a San Antonio side in need of a boost if it’s to continue its streak of four consecutive postseason appearances over the second half of the campaign.

Djeffal showed quality on the ball during his time with OCSC, completing 377 passes at a success rate of 83.4 percent and completing 12 of 16 dribbles, but he recorded only six chances created and six shots in the attacking third. With San Antonio looking for an attacking spark, it will be interesting to see how he fits into the plan for the 2022 title winner as it tries to bridge a current six-point gap to the playoffs.