Villarreal speeds up to secure their new midfield boss

Villarreal CF

Villarreal CF is already working on one of the most delicate issues of the summer: rebuilding the midfield without losing competitiveness. The qualification for the Champions League, again, requires building a longer, more solid squad prepared to endure the pace of three competitions. And here lies a problem: there are missing pieces in the engine room.

The departures of Dani Parejo and Thomas Partey leave a significant gap. Additionally, the future of Pape Gueye remains unclear, so the club is already accepting that at least two defensive central midfielders will be needed.

206

Luis Milla
2.450.000€    5

J1

MD

101

Luis Milla impresses with his football and consistency. The Getafe CF player has just completed a very serious season: one goal, ten assists, regular presence in the starting eleven and, more importantly, he is the leader of his team when he is on the pitch. He moves side to side, looking for the best options, takes free kicks; in short, he holds all the reins.

In Villarreal they value something that doesn’t always show up in stats: he organizes the team without hiding when on the ball. He has composure, moves the play well, and also contributes in set pieces. The problem appears when discussing money. Getafe is asking for around six million euros and the player is considering financially much stronger offers.

The offer from Al Nassr looks especially dangerous, as they can offer figures impossible for Villarreal. The Real Betis, Olympiacos, and Como 1907 are also keeping an eye on him.

177

Antonio Blanco
690.000€    7

J1

MD

32

Antonio Blanco fits due to energy and defensive reading. Another name circulating on the yellow club’s agenda for weeks is Antonio Blanco. The Deportivo Alavés player has been one of the team’s revelations this season.

His stats explain quite well what type of player he is: leader in interceptions in LaLiga, more than three thousand minutes played and heavy involvement in tough matches. At Mendizorroza he has gone from prospect to captain without making too much noise.

Alavés points to a 15 million clause, although Villarreal believes the deal could close for a lower amount. At 25 years old, Antonio Blanco still has room to grow and fits a very clear idea of the club: sign players ready to compete immediately, but with potential ahead.

111

Guido Rodríguez
3.220.000€    -

J1

MD

04

Guido Rodríguez appears as a market opportunity. His return to LaLiga with Valencia CF has been very strong. He arrived from West Ham United without much rhythm and ended up becoming an indispensable piece to balance the team.

At Villarreal they see similarities with the operation that brought Parejo to the club years ago: a veteran with experience, external doubts about his physical condition, and immediate performance.

Guido’s contract ends, which greatly reduces the cost of the deal. The debate is more about age and salary than playing level.

Villarreal doesn’t want to fall short

The club is clear that returning to the Champions League cannot mean having a worse squad than this year. The idea is to compete in Europe without struggling every time they have to rotate players in La Liga.

That is why Villarreal is looking at different profiles: one more creative like Luis Milla, another more defensive like Antonio Blanco, and an experienced option like Guido Rodríguez. Three different paths to solve the same problem: that the midfield continues to have weight when the season begins.