Álex Calatrava joins Espanyol, is it worth signing him?

RCD Espanyol

Álex Calatrava has made the step up to LaLiga EA Sports with RCD Espanyol after putting together an outstanding campaign in Segunda División with CD Castellón. The Catalan player arrives at the blanquiazul side with the ambition to earn a place in the starting XI, and with more than enough reasons to catch the eye of fantasy managers.

Are we looking at one of the possible fantasy market bargains?

What kind of player is Álex Calatrava?

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Álex Calatrava
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Calatrava is an attacking-profile footballer who can play as an attacking midfielder, an inside player or a winger on either side. He stands out for his technical quality, his game vision, and his ability to find space between the lines.

He is a player who looks to be involved constantly, provides plenty of passing options, and has the ability to create goal-scoring chances. He also has a notable arrival from second line and is not afraid to try his shot when he finds space. Good proof of this is the 15 goals he scored last season despite not playing as a striker.

His attacking versatility could be one of the factors that helps him accumulate minutes throughout the season.

His numbers before arriving at Espanyol

The new Perico player arrives after becoming one of CD Castellón's most important pieces during last season.

Calatrava played 43 official matches, scored 15 goals and provided 8 assists. Beyond the numbers, he was one of the most decisive players for the Castilian side thanks to his constant influence in attack and his ability to show up in the decisive areas.

His performances helped Castellón reach the promotion playoff to Primera División and confirmed that he is a player capable of taking on an offensive starring role.

Those figures, translated to LaLiga, could turn into strong fantasy points.

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A standout performance on Sofascore

His statistical records also point to optimism. Last season he earned a 7.19 average rating on Sofascore with Castellón, while the previous campaign he reached an average of 7.21.

One of the most interesting things about Calatrava is that he does not rely exclusively on goals or assists to get good ratings. His constant involvement in the game, the key passes he generates, the clear chances he creates, and his regular presence near the opponent's box allow him to rack up points even in matches where he does not directly contribute to any goal.

This profile could be especially appealing in fantasy systems based on statistics or Sofascore ratings.

Could he be a starter at Espanyol?

The competition will be important, but Calatrava arrives with real options to carve out a place in Manolo González's squad.

His ability to operate in different attacking positions allows him to adapt to various setups and become a very useful alternative over the course of the season.

It is possible that he will not begin the campaign as an undisputed starter, but everything suggests he will have opportunities to prove his level. If he responds on the pitch, it would not be surprising if he ended up settling into the starting XI as the weeks go by.

A player with personality

Calatrava stands out for his ability to take responsibility with the ball. He is a creative, dynamic player with the personality to ask for the ball in the toughest moments.

During his time at Castellón, he also took part in set-piece situations, taking some free kicks and converting the three penalties he took, with a 100% success rate.

In addition, he offers work without the ball, a quality highly valued by coaches, and he has good ability to come in from behind and surprise inside the opponent's box.

All of this makes the Catalan a very complete profile for an RCD Espanyol that will need creativity, mobility, and attacking talent to compete in LaLiga.

Is it worth signing Álex Calatrava in Fantasy?

As with any player making the jump from Segunda División, we will have to check how he adapts to the pace and demands of the top tier.

However, he has plenty of interesting ingredients for fantasy: technical quality, ball-carrying involvement, ease in creating chances, arrival in the box, and attacking versatility.

If he shows up with a low price during the first few matchdays, he could become one of the bets with the biggest potential for value growth in the market.

It does not seem advisable to make an excessive investment before knowing his true role in the team, but he could be a very interesting addition at a reasonable price.

Fantasy conclusion

Álex Calatrava arrives at Espanyol ready to prove that he has the level to compete in Primera División. His quality, his ability to generate football, and his versatility suggest that he will have opportunities to earn an important role.

Maybe he is not the kind of signing that warrants a big bid from day one, but he is certainly one of those players worth keeping a close eye on. If he appears in your market at an attractive price, he could be a good bet to get ahead of the rest of the managers and benefit from a possible breakout during the season.

If he manages to bring to LaLiga the same level of involvement and offensive output he showed at Castellón, he could become one of the most profitable players relative to his price.

Fantasy friends: if Calatrava appears in your market at a reasonable price, he could be a bet with plenty to gain and relatively little to lose.