Paco Alcacer is a Villarreal Player

Villarreal CF have completed the transfer of Paco Alcacer from Borussia Dortmund. The striker moves back to La Liga after a year and a half with the German giants. This move of course marks a return to the Valencian region for Paco, who was born in Torrent and came up through the Valencia academy. He’s signed a deal through the summer of 2025, and while the purchase price has not been revealed it is widely reported to be €23m plus incentives, which makes him our most expensive signing to date.

Paco gives tactical versatility to this Villarreal side. Once Gerard Moreno recovers we have the option of playing the two of them as a pair of strikers or of sliding Paco out to one of the wings and allowing Gerard to play up top. I personally would like to see the former. I think that in Calleja’s first stint in charge at the club his two forwards sets opened up the middle of the pitch in a way we haven’t been able to do as successfully this season, and I hope to see it in action again.

Alcacer’s arrival is a complicating bit of news for Fer Niño, the 19 year old wonderkid who has now scored in both his La Liga debut and the Copa del Rey. The move likely means that once Moreno is fit, Fer will find himself in the Segunda B with Villarreal B. Personally I’d be more comfortable with him getting time on loan with a second tier team, but when you have the chance to add a starting striker for good value young players usually have to make way.

Speaking of good value, the reported fee in this deal is the same that Dortmund paid for Paco in the first place, or about 23m, well below what his market value is considered to be. This is mildly concerning if Lyon do not eventually exercise their buy option on Toko Ekambi, but that option becomes an obligation if Lyon make Europe and I would imagine Villarreal are betting OL does just that.

Welcome to the Yellow Submarine Paco! Endavant!