Villarreal CF - Finished 2nd

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Robert Pirés believes that he can fill the boots of Juan Román Riquelme and become the inspirational playmaker that will drive Villarreal back up the table.

The Frenchman has missed most of the campaign with a kne ligament injury, but has impressed since his comeback and is now feeling excited about his new adventure.

After joining the Yellow Submarine on a free transfer from Arsenal last term, Pirés never had the chance to play alongside Riquelme, but he did watch him from the stands.

Riquelme was loaned back to Boca Juniors during the winter transfer window after falling out with the board and coaches at El Madrigal.

"I feel great," Pirés said. "I have been back for a month and it is always great to react and bounce back after a serious injury.

"People think that I am finished because I am 33. It is a big boost for me - a challenge. The end of the season with Villarreal can be interesting for me.

"The chairman is looking for someone to replace Riquelme, and that someone is me.

"I feel a positive pressure, and that will permit me to have a lot of fun."

After damaging his knee in a pre-season tournament in Cádiz last August, Pirés did not make his official debut for the club until March 18 this year.

Despite scoring in the game against Real Betis, it was his goal against FC Barcelona in the recent victory that saw people begin to sit up and take notice.

"I had to be patient. I had already suffered this injury in 2002," he continued.

"But I have just lived a wonderful moment. Honestly, my aim was to start the match against Barcelona. I couldn't have dreamed of such a scenario.

"After two consecutive defeats, we welcomed the chance to play the leaders. They dominated the first half, but we finally won 2-0 and I had the chance to score the first goal.

"When I was substituted in the 65th minute, I received a standing ovation. It was a magical moment.

"It is a strange feeling because my last official match was against the same team. A year ago, I lost the final. Today, we have beaten them and are back in La Liga."

Goal.com - Spain - Pirés: I Can Replace Riquelme

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Pires is not a playmaker...

[RavenKing]

Yeah Pires you go on with your bad, 33-year old self. You'll replace Riquelme......for a season...maybe.

[Pat Murphy]

Mavuba Joins Villarreal For €8m

Rio Mavuba has agreed to join Villarreal from Bordeaux after the latest negotiations produced a deal, the player confirmed on his personal website.

The 23-year-old midfielder will pen a five-year deal at El Madrigal after the two clubs agreed a fee of around €8m.

Juventus and Werder Bremen were also monitoring his situation, but the Spanish side have moved quickly to wrap up the transfer.

A key to the deal, according to Mavouba's website, was the chance to play alongside fellow Frenchman Robert Pirès who impressed at Villarreal after recovering from a knee injury towards the end of last season.

Having been born in a boat off in international waters after his parents looked to escape the Angolan civil war, the player has 'Born at Sea' on his passport rather than a nationality.

Despite that, he was brought up in France and after playing for the national Under-21 team earned his first senior cap in 2004.

After four years at Bordeaux, Mavuba is keen to experience life in a new country and sees the Spanish league as the most exciting challenge.

That desire has made smoothed the path for Villarreal's move and the Yellow Submarine are now locked in negotiations to add him to their ever-increasing squad.

Coach Manolo Pellegrini has had a busy summer already with five new arrivals and six players being alowed to leave.

from Goal.com

Goal.com - Spain - Mavuba Joins Villarreal For €8m

Love the bold bit

Damn good signing I think especially for the price. I think Villarreal are planning extremely smartly for next season. They're not spending a lot but they've already brought in Ayala, Diego Lopez and Capdevilla for the defence.

This is a transitional time for Villarreal as they are now building a team that doesn't revolve around Riquelme. They may be going for 4 at the back with 2 Defensive midfielders in Mavuba and Senna with extreme use of wing play where Cani will be more at use and Pires if he has the pace although he was mainly used as a number 10 playmaker when he came back last season.

Forlan is also gone and they must find a new striker. They have Nihat who is fantastic to partner him who was injured last season so Villarreal look like they're building a very solid team for next year.

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LOL @ the 'Born at Sea' part.

Great signing.
He'll wear the number #24 shirt.

Though, I'm surprised he choosed Villareal, there were better offers around.

[Pat Murphy]

They could well challenge for top 4 next season if they get things right. Unfortunately Gonzalo Rodriguez is out until Christmas but they have plently of CB's to deal with it. They just need to get the striker signing right. Personally I think Soldado, Baiano of Celta or Saviola would be the best options.

------------------------------- Diego Lopez
- Jose Enrique ------- Ayala ---- Gonzalo Rodriguez ---- Capdevilla
------------------------- Senna -------- Mavuba
---- Cani ---------------------------------------------------------- Pires
------------------------- Nihat --------- New Striker

Or Josico alongside Senna and Mavuba in a 4-3-1-2 with Pires or Cani as playmaker.

They'll probably rotate loads next season too with a great squad with players like Fuentes, Marcos, Javi Venta, Viera, Barbosa, Josemi, Matias Fernandez, Guillermo Franco, Somoza and CYGAN.

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They have a decent team. Shame they woke up late in the season that just finished.

Btw, who could be the new striker?

[Pat Murphy]

Absolutely loads of strikers have been linked but they've only offered for one so far. They offered £10m (€15m) for Raul Tamudo the captain and all time top goalscorer of Espanyol. Personally I think €15m for him is too much and it wastes too much of the cash they got for Forlan. Espanyol have said there is no way in hell that they'll ever sell their talisman Tamudo unless Villarreal force the move by paying his buy-out clause of €24m.

Other strikers they've been linked with is Luis García (Espanyol), Baiano (Celta), Saviola (Free Agent), Oliveira (Milan), Luis Fabiano (Sevilla), Diego Milito (Zaragoza) and Soldado (Real Madrid).

Personally I think Soldado, Saviola or Baiano are the best options as they're all cheap and good. Soldado might be €8m, Saviola would be free and Celta have been relegated so Baiano would be about €8m.

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Definately there's too much for Tamudo.

Saviola is free, would be the best transfer imo.
Fabiano and Milito are the best on the list, together with Saviola, but they wouldn't cost cheap I guess.

[Aladino]

Tomasson to settle at Villarreal
Tuesday 10 July 2007
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Jon Dahl Tomasson is to return to Villarreal CF on a permanent basis from VfB Stuttgart after a successful loan spell at the end of last season.

Fine form
The prolific Denmark striker, with 46 goals in 90 internationals, scored four times in eleven Primera División games as Villarreal enjoyed a storming end to the campaign. The Spanish club won their final eight league fixtures to take fifth place and a spot in the 2007/08 UEFA Cup first round. He is the latest signing of a busy summer for Villarreal with goalkeeper Diego López, defensive duo Roberto Ayala and Joan Capdevila and midfielders Santi Cazorla and Rio Antonio Mavuba all signing at El Madrigal.

Title triumphs
Tomasson will have a two-year contract after his departure from the German champions for an undisclosed fee. In all he spent a year and a half in Stuttgart, playing a total of 30 Bundesliga games and scoring eight goals. He had previously enjoyed three productive seasons at AC Milan, helping them win the 2002/03 UEFA Champions League, although he missed out on the final, after a similarly successful spell at Feyenoord where he played a key role in the 2001/02 UEFA Cup triumph.

'Best solution'
Stuttgart sporting director Horst Heldt said: "This move is the best solution for all involved. Things didn't go well for Jon here at Stuttgart in recent times. He has performed well at Villarreal however, and was back to his old self." While Villarreal will be more than content to play in the UEFA Cup after early elimination from the UEFA Intertoto Cup last season, Stuttgart will start their European campaign in the 2007/08 UEFA Champions League group stage.

Could be a good move for him to go back to Villareal. Good luck to him, and I hope he succeeds at Villareal once more.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

His career seems to be over the top.I don't think this is a good signing by Villareal.

[Pat Murphy]

The rumoured price was a measly £200k but I'm sure he won't start as Villarreal have said they are yet to get a Forlan replacement and they have Nihat back from injury next season and also Guillermo Franco on the bench. He won't start over those 3 but he's a good sub to have.

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True, Tomasson has fallen big time.
The transfer fee sums it up very well.

[Pat Murphy]

El Villarreal va a por el cuarto mosquetero: Anelka - Marca.com

Madrid seem to want 20m Euros for Baptista so Villarreal are beng linked to Nicolas Anelka now. There are 3 Frenchies at Villarreal which could sway him, but Villarreal with definately get another striker for next season and 1 or 2 CB's according to Pellegrini.

[Pat Murphy]

Riquelme has been given the squad number 16 by Villarreal, if he does end up staying then he must earn the respect of Pellegrini for a first team place, the number 8 has been given to Santi Cazorla.

It's more likely he'll leave tho, although Atletico seems less likely now because they have too many non-EU players for their non-EU spots.