Villarreal’s transfer activity this summer was a busy one. The board had to address the veteran players who were no longer in the plans of the new project with Marcelino. Several footballers, including Manu Trigueros, Alberto Moreno, Etienne Capoue, Francis Coquelin, José Luis Morales, Pepe Reina, and Aïssa Mandi, were not in Marcelino’s plans.
The board’s initial idea was to sell one key player to reinvest in two positions, but that wasn’t the case as many more key players were transfered because of demands from big clubs in Europe for hefty fee. The exit of key players like Alexander Sørloth, Filip Jørgensen, Jorge Cuenca, Ben Brereton Diaz and Arnaut Danjuma forced the club to react and reinforce itself.
Villarreal made several new signings across various positions, focusing on youth and players with future sale value. Here’s an overview of the new arrivals and what fans can expect from them this season:
On the incoming front, Villarreal made some signings:
Thierno Barry, age 21 (Basel): Barry is a versatile, energetic and young forward. He has been brought in as the natural replacement for Alexander Sørloth. Although he’s still relatively young, Barry has the potential to make an impact once he settles, as he did in his debut match at La Ceramica, needing only one minute to score his first goal at home. He was bought from Basel for €13.5m.
Logan Costa, age 23 (Toulouse): Costa comes in to strengthen Villarreal’s defense with his physical presence and solid defensive capabilities. Known for his strength and reliability at the back, he is expected to provide a stable option for Marcelino. Logan has experience at the top division in France, playing regularly for Toulouse. With the departure of Jorge Cuenca, Costa’s integration into the team will be crucial as Villarreal looks to maintain a strong defensive line. Villarreal paid €18m for him, becoming one of the most expensive defenders for the club. He made his debut as a starter against Valencia.
Luiz Júnior, age 23 (Famalicão): Luiz Júnior is a promising young goalkeeper who arrived to Villarreal with a strong reputation for his shotstopping abilities and command of the penalty area. His signing addressed the need for a reliable option under the sticks following the departure of Filip Jørgensen to Chelsea. He became the most expensive goalkeeper for the club, with a €12m price tag. His agility, reflexes, and potential for further growth suggest that he could become a key player for Villarreal, providing stability and confidence at the back. The club’s management likely sees him as a longterm solution in the GK position. He has yet to start a game for Villarreal.
Diego Conde, age 25 (Leganes): Diego Conde joined Villarreal to add depth to the goalkeeper position. He has so far been the first choice goalkeeper after one outstanding performance after another, making it harder for Marcelino to bench him as he was initially perceived as a backup goalkeeper for Filip Jørgensen. He has saved and helped his team on multiple occasions. His strengths include his shotstopping abilities and positional awareness. It will be interesting to see how Marcelino will deal and manage these two new goalkeepers, who are both fighting for a starting spot. He joined Villarreal from Leganes for €4m.
Pape Gueye, age 25 (Marseille): Pape Gueye arrived to Villarreal from Marseille, bringing presence to the midfield. Gueye also has the ability to transition quickly from defense to attack, using his energy and passing skills to help drive the team forward. In Villarreal’s system, Gueye could play a pivotal role, whether as a box-to-box midfielder or in a more defensive role, depending on the tactical setup. His presence allows the team to be more flexible, offering support in both defensive and offensive phases. He tends to use his long legs to slide tackle, but this has the risk of going both ways. He recently received his first red card for Villarreal just after 3 matches. He has received 4 red cards in 17 matches for Sevilla and Villarreal. He is so far the third choice in the midfield, behind Santi Comesana and Dani Parejo.
Ayoze Pérez, age 31 (Real Betis): Ayoze Pérez brings creativity, experience, and versatility to Villarreal’s attacking options. Having played in various roles across the front line during his time at clubs like Newcastle United, Leicester City, and most recently Real Betis. Ayoze is known for his ability to operate as a forward, winger, or even an attacking midfielder. He has so far scored two goals in three matches. He joined Villarreal from Real Betis for €4m. Marcelino uses him as support striker and linkup player between the midfield and the striker positions. Expect Perez to have an important role as Gerard Moreno’s is plagued with injuries.
Sergi Cardona, age 23 (Las Palmas): Sergi Cardona joins Villarreal from Las Palmas. He is an attacking-minded left-back. He joined the club as a free agent. His pace, aggressiveness and his short history record could be enough to take the starting spot from Pedraza, who has not played much under Marcelino. He has scored one goal and given one assist in three matches.
Juan Bernat, age 31 (PSG): Juan Bernat’s arrival at Villarreal on a season long loan from Paris Saint-Germain is a significant boost, particularly given the injury concerns surrounding Alfonso Pedraza. Bernat is an experienced left-back who has played at the highest levels in European football, including stints with Bayern Munich and PSG.
Conclusion:
Despite losing important players, Villarreal shifted their focus and gone back to the “old ways” of doing things by bringing young players with talent and future sale value. Marcelino has finally addressed a glaring issue that has been ignored for years by offloading players who were past their prime and with a high salary. Before this summer window opened, Villarreal were one of the oldest teams in the league.
Naturally, the chemistry of the team will be weakened by the drastic changes made by the board. It’s expected that it will take time to exploit the full potential of the team. With that being said, Villarreal has had a strong start to the season, getting 8 points out of 12 against tough opposition such as Atletico Madrid, Sevilla, Celta Vigo and Valencia.