Mohamed Aziz Ghrissi's loan arrival from Club Africain is the headline move of a transfer window that has seen Etoile Metlaoui reshape their squad more aggressively than at any point in recent memory. Ghrissi brings with him the pedigree of one of Tunisian football's most storied institutions, and his presence alone sets a new ceiling for what the club's supporters can expect from the season ahead.

The loan market has been central to Metlaoui's planning, and the volume of deals struck on a single day tells its own story. On July 29, the club completed four separate signings: Ghrissi from Club Africain, Najd Dabbebi and Obaid Chabbi both on loan from Stade Tunisien, and Oussama Hichri on a permanent deal from Soliman. That same window of activity also brought in Ahmed Beji from Al Entesar and Ayoub Tlili, who has joined from Yemeni outfit Al-Tadamon Mukalla, adding an international dimension to a squad that is being rebuilt from the ground up.

The business continued into August without slowing. Ameur Jouini arrived on loan from CS Sfaxien on July 30, adding further quality from a club operating at a higher level of Tunisian football. On August 2, Montasser Toumi came in on a free transfer from Al-Nojoom, followed the next day by Mohamed Ameur Belghith from Gabès and Mohamed Aziz Bejaoui, who completed a permanent move from Kairouan on August 3. Ifeanyi Ogba, the final piece of the puzzle, joined on a free transfer from Kairouan on August 11.

The financial picture is worth noting. Of the 11 arrivals, four came on loan — Ghrissi, Dabbebi, Chabbi, and Jouini — meaning the club has secured top-tier experience without the outlay of permanent fees. Two more, Ogba and Toumi, cost nothing at all. That is six of eleven signings acquired at zero transfer cost, a testament to the recruitment team's ability to extract value from a limited budget.

With no departures recorded across the same 21-day period, Metlaoui's net squad size has grown substantially. The challenge now falls squarely on the coaching staff: integrating 11 new faces, four of whom are on temporary deals with different long-term loyalties, into a cohesive unit capable of making a real impact. The raw material is genuinely promising. What happens next depends entirely on whether the dressing room can be made to function as one.