Adrian López signs for Villarreal, and ex-amarillos on the move

Adrián Lopez has joined Villarreal CF on a one-year loan from Porto.  Late word is there is NO option to purchase (Porto have 60% of his rights, Atleti the remainder I believe), just a loan.  Adrián had some good years in 2010-11 with Depor and 2011-12 with Atleti, scoring seven goals in the league each year and firing in eleven goals for the mattress-makers in Europe that season, but injuries and a lack of playing time have hurt his production since then.  Still, he's only 27.

Adrian's main role is as a secondary striker, but he can also play on the left wing or as a centre forward.  He is an excellent dribbler and has a decent work rate, a decent finisher I gather, though not spectacular.  He had been linked with us briefly earlier in the summer, but more recently Betis had wanted him, and indeed there had been a report earlier this morning on twitter that Betis were 'optimistic'.  However, three hours later, Adrian was in Villarreal, signed a contract and passed his medical.

Fans seem fairly 'meh' about this signing, but if Adrián can return to the form he showed several years ago, this could turn out to be another Jeremy Perbet-type deadline deal that pays off in spades.  It certainly At any rate, since it is a loan with a purchase option, there's little risk should it not work out.  But I think he will feel he has something to prove, and Marce does well with players like that.

Speaking of Jeremy Perbet, he is heading back to Belgium, to play for Charleroi.  His move to Turkey never really paid off much--he only played 800 minutes in the league last term, with four goals.  This is a one-year loan move so no money in it for us yet.

The same is true of Jonathan de Guzmán, who is being loaned from Napoli to Bournemouth apparently.  And ex-Villarreal B keeper Diego Marino may be heading back to Levante from Valladolid.

Valladolid are also interested in taking Jony Pereira on loan again, Elche and Zaragoza are also interested, so something should be resolved soon.

Other than that, it would appear Villarreal's remaining move would be to add a central defender.  Funes Mori had been mentioned but signed with Everton earlier, Henrique has been continually mentioned but nothing has happened.  So it may well be someone we haven't thought about.

More news as it comes in.