The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Valencia

  • Valencia seal €16m permanent deal for Zaza

    Valencia seal €16m permanent deal for Zaza

     

    Valencia have sealed a permanent deal for Simone Zaza, with the Italy striker signing a four-year contract.

    Zaza joined the club on loan from Juventus in January, with Valencia holding the option to sign him for an initial fee of €16million – a clause they have now activated.

    Valencia may have to pay a further €2m depending on the 25-year-old’s success in LaLiga.

    Having already paid a €2m loan fee for Zaza, the potential total cost of his acquisition could be €20m.

    The club’s sporting director Jose Ramon Alesanco revealed last month that an agreement to take up their option had been reached and that was confirmed on Monday.

    “Simone Zaza will become property of Valencia CF from July 1, with a contract until June 2021, under the terms of the agreement signed with Juventus,” read Valencia’s statement.

    Zaza spent a miserable first half of the season on loan at Premier League side West Ham, where he played eight times in the top-flight without scoring, prompting them to terminate his stay prematurely and pass on their option for a permanent deal.

    But the striker, who infamously missed a penalty for Italy in their Euro 2016 quarter-final shoot-out defeat to Germany, has scored four goals in 14 appearances since arriving at Valencia, including a strike in their February victory over Real Madrid and a double in Sunday’s 3-1 win at Granada.

    Los Che have moved clear of the relegation zone since Zaza’s arrival and now sit 12th in LaLiga after a run of three consecutive victories this month.

  • Mikel gives Valencia Friday deadline

    Mikel gives Valencia Friday deadline

    • Chinese offers still on table

    Representatives of Mikel Obi have handed Spanish La Liga side, Valencia Friday deadline to meet the wage demands of the Chelsea midfielder, while leaving the door still open to more lucrative offers from China.
    “Mikel’s representatives have given Valencia till Friday to match the player’s wage demands,” a source close to the player informed AfricanFootball.com
    “I don’t know what the demands are, but Valencia’s initial offer does not match it.”
    The same source had last week hinted a decision on the player’s next destination was imminent this week.
    A top Valencia official met with Mikel in London during the holidays over a move to Spain.
    However, the source close to the Chelsea ace has also maintained the handlers of the player have also not foreclosed a more financially rewarding transfer to China.
    “If Valencia failed to meet Mikel’s expectations, the offers from China on the table will be more seriously considered,” he said.
    “As expected, they have tabled more cash and that’s what the player is now considering.”

  • Mikel to join Valencia

    Mikel to join Valencia

    … Agrees four-year deal

    Super Eagles captain, Obi Mikel, has agreed a four- year deal with Spanish side, Valencia.

    Valencia beat several teams including big spending Chinese side Shanghai SIPG, French side Olympique Marseille and Serie A duo of AC Milan and Inter Milan to the midfielder’s signature, Owngoalnigeria.com reports.

    Talks were held in England between representatives of the La-Liga side and Mikel and a deal was reached for him to be the club first signing in the winter transfer window.

     

     

     

  • Valencia, NPFL All-Stars donate gate takings to Alzira fire victims

    Valencia, NPFL All-Stars donate gate takings to Alzira fire victims

    Gate takings from  friendly between Valencia and NPFL All-Stars will be donated to the victims of a major forest fire that ravaged the little town of Alzira.

    The fires destroyed over 3000 hectares of the Valencia province which also includes Alzira.

    “We have been made to understand that the Alzira Stadium was chosen for our match against Valencia to assist the victims of the forest fire that affected the town of Alzira in June,” disclosed NPFL All-Stars team manager Ameobi Ezeaku.

    “The ticket sales from this match will be donated to the victims of the fire.”

    The Enugu Rangers team manager said the trip to Spain has been an eye-opening experience.

    “The experience has been wonderful for both the players and officials,” he told AfricanFootball.com.

  • Valencia keen on Okaka

    Valencia keen on Okaka

    Stefano Chuka Okaka is reportedly being tracked by  Spanish La Liga outfit, Valencia, according to the local press in Italy. The Nigerian-born star,whose contract at Sampdoria expires in June 2016, is wanted by Torino as well.

    Sources close to SL10 said Valencia had a scout at Sampdoria’s 2-0 win over Torino last Sunday to assess the in-form big forward.

    However,there were reportedly other clubs represented at the fixture, Hamburg and Genoa included, so the cat might just be out of the bag. The Spanish giants have already raided Sampdoria once this summer, having signed German central defender Shkodran Mustafi from the Serie A outfit, and Okaka could be set to follow suit.

    Okaka has previously had unsuccessful stints at AS Roma, Fulham and Parma, before joining up The Blucerchiati last season.

  • Bayern Munich signs Valencia full-back Bernat

    Bayern Munich signs Valencia full-back Bernat

    The Spain Under-21 international, who will wear the No.18 jersey, has penned a five-year contract with the German champions

    Bayern Munich have signed versatile full-back Juan Bernat from Valencia for a reported €10 million.

    The German champions revealed that the left-footed Spain Under-21 international, who can also play on the wing, has penned a five-year contract and will link up with his new team-mates on Thursday.

    “Juan Bernat is an extraordinary young player,” Bayern sporting director Matthias Sammer told the club’s official website.

    “We scouted him for a long time. He is fast, a strong tackler and a real threat to the opposition’s goal.

    “We are sure that he will prove a very good investment in terms of the future of our team.”

    Bernat, meanwhile, admitted that he cannot wait to make his first appearance for Pep Guardiola’s side.

    “I am very happy that I will be able to play for this massive club,” he enthused. “Bayern are one of the biggest teams in the world.

    “I am very excited to play in a team with [Philipp] Lahm, [Manuel] Neuer, [Bastian] Schweinsteiger, [Arjen] Robben and [Franck] Ribery, and to have Guardiola as a coach.”

    Bernat, who is a product of Valencia’s youth academy, will wear the No.18 jersey at Bayern.

  • Valencia, Granada fight over Ilori

    Valencia, Granada fight over Ilori

    Granada and Valencia will fight it out for Liverpool youngster Tiago Abiola Ilori, according to reports in the British press.

    The Liverpool Echo revealed on Thursday morning that El Grana and Los Che are keen on taking the defender on loan until the end of the season.

    The 20-year-old, who signed for the Anfield outfit from Sporting Lisbon, has failed to make a first team appearance this term.

    As such, Brendan Rodgers’ men will allow the centre-back to leave for more playing time, with the Liga pair said to be heavily interested.

    It is claimed that Granada are already in talks with Ilori about a switch, but Valencia may come in with an 11th hour bid of their own before the end of the window.