Villarreal transfer rumors, January 2020!

The transfer window is open. Sr. Roig has said we are hoping to emerge from the month with the same team we had going into it (except we seem willing to dispense with Santy Caceres and Leo Suarez, either temporarily or permanently).

So, first big rumor is.....Toko Ekambi to Lyon!

Why it makes sense: Lyon need a striker, and Toko E has lots of Ligue Un experience. And Lyon are in the CL octafinals against Juventus. Plus, Toko has been somewhat of a bit player for Villarreal—he hasn’t started a match since Valencia at the end of November, and last played 90 minutes against Mallorca in mid-November.

Why it doesn’t: The Cameroon international is a bit of an enigmatic character. He doesn’t seem to be a great finisher, but his speed and linkup play are very good and he stretches a defense nicely, leading to lots of opportunities for others if not for himself. It’s not as if Villarreal want to move on from him at this point.

It’s also hard to see how the deal makes financial sense for either side. Toko Ekambi cost Villarreal €18m, and €18-20m is probably a reasonable valuation for him today. Unless he really wants to move back to France, I can’t see Villarreal accepting a deal less than €24-28m, and I doubt Lyon would offer that.

What do you think?