"Amunt hasta siempre"
Valencia have reached an agreement with Villarreal for the sale of Dani Parejo, the club
announced on Wednesday afternoon.
https://twitter.com/Eng_Villarreal/status/1293524934510161923
Parejo joined Valencia from Getafe in 2011 and over after nine years at Valencia, he will now head a short distance up the east coast to join Villarreal for no fee, according to
Sid Lowe. Francis Coquelin has also moved from Valencia to Villarreal.
During his time at the Mestalla, Parejo became their most important player, leading the team through several board level crises. As captain, he lifted the Copa Del Rey and led Los Che to Champions League qualification on several occasions in the face of persistent financial troubles.
This time, the financial troubles that have been around for as long as Peter Lim's tenure and made worse by the coronavirus pandemic have put Valencia in a position where a mass-exodus is the only option. They have already sold 20-year-old winger Ferran Torres to Manchester City for £20m, Parejo is just the second of many big name players to leave this summer, with Geoffrey Kondogbia also expected to leave.
But still, allowing your captain and best player to leave does seem, well, bonkers. Parejo is 31 now but remains one of the best players in LaLiga outside of the Big Two. His passing game, calmness on the ball, adaptability in different systems and threat from free-kicks will serve Villarreal well under Unai Emery as they look to replace the input of Santi Cazorla and Bruno Soriano.
Parejo bid an emotional farewell to supporters with a video of his best moments in a Valencia shirt, pledging his support to the club forever.
https://twitter.com/DaniParejo/status/1293531063038488577
