Ayala In Shock Zaragoza Move

[Oliver_Kahn]

Valencia boss Quique Sanchez Flores has asked the club to renew the contract of veteran centre back Roberto Ayala.

The 33-year-old Argentina international has found himself out of the team in recent weeks, though Flores insists he still has an important role to play at the Mestalla.

"Ayala has the backing of the coaching staff," he insisted. "The fact that he is left out from time to time does not mean that we don't have faith in him."

"We have analysed his situation and I sincerely believe that he will return to form. His qualities will prove very important to the team."

Ayala has been granted extra time off over the Christmas period, and will return to training with the team on January 2.

Flores: Give Ayala a new deal - Football - Eurosport

[Magical20]

nice ..

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Roberto Ayala looks to be on his way to Villarreal at the season's close, with his agent having grown exasperated by Valencia's reticence to begin contract negotiations.

The robust Argentine's existing deal at Valencia expires in the summer and it would appear he is readying himself for one final move.

Ayala has long been established as one of the best defenders currently playing in Europe but it would appear Valencia are preparing for life without the South American.

His agent, Gustavo Mascardi, has confirmed that Villarreal look in pole position to land his player's services for next season.

"The officials of Valencia haven't got in touch with me for renewing Ayala's contract so it's very possible that he will not continue playing in this team," said Mascardi.

"To make a decision there are two options, what I think and what Ayala thinks, and my decision is to make him play at Villarreal because it's me who has to handle the negotiation.

"In addition to that, there isn't another proposal, neither from Valencia nor from any other team.

"If Valencia think that Ayala has to leave that team we must respect what they think, in the same way Villarreal are thinking of starting a new season with him.

"So that's why I think that Roberto Ayala will play at Villarreal."

Source: http://home.skysports.com

[Pat Murphy]

Ayala to join Villarreal

Valencia defender Roberto Ayala has agreed to join Villarreal at the end of the season.

Ayala's Valencia contract expires in the summer and he has decided to go elsewhere after talks of a new deal failed to materialise.

According to a statement from Villarreal, the Argentine is to join the club on a three-year deal in June.

Ayala has won the Spanish League (twice) and the Uefa Cup with Valencia and helped them to the final of the UEFA Champions League in 2001.

Villarreal are determined to strengthen their defence ahead of next season and have also been linked with a move for Deportivo La Coruna's Joan Capdevila.

Capdevila is out of contract in the summer and Spanish sources suggest Villarreal are ready to offer him a lucrative deal.

Espanyol and Real Zaragoza are also believed to be interested in Capdevila

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[Pat Murphy]

Ayala's a very good signing for Villarreal, if they get Capdevilla too who'll start against England tonight then with Javi Venta and Gonzalo Rodriguez they'll make a great looking defence.

[Oliver_Kahn]

Why did he choose Villareal over Valencia ?

Doesn't make sense.

[Pat Murphy]

Well it seems that the Valencia board didn't want to give the 33 year old a new contract. In the first post in this thread it is of Quique Flores suggesting that he wants to give Ayala a new deal, I guess that the board must of blocked this move.

It's a shame he couldn't have stayed at Valencia considering how long he's been there.

[Super Pibe #7]

Hope gonzalo learns a lot from him.

[Trim]

Despite his impending departure for local rivals Villarreal, Roberto Ayala has insisted that he will give his best for Valencia until the end of the season.

"My intention was to finish up [my career] here [with Valencia]," said Ayala in a press conference. "However, not all your dreams can be fulfilled.

"I wanted to continue, and I said as much in August. We approached the club, but did not receive an answer, and it was simply advisable to look elsewhere."

That he was not handed a fresh contract by sporting director Amedeo Carboni is an open secret, but the Argentine tried to stop people from taking sides over the issue: "It is not right to support one and cricify the other."

"It is only important to focus on the good of the club.

"What I will do is give everything for this club as we fight for our objectives, and hopefully, we will be satisfied come the end of the season."

The Che veteran also said that it was sometimes necessary to accept the end of a cycle. He explained Valencia's probable thinking - that they have had the best of him - and thanked the club repeatedly for treating him very well during his long stay.

He also refused to speak of his own retirement: "I feel healthy and motivated enough to continue, and I have another opportunity in this very competitive Spanish league."

He insisted that the Yellow Submarines had to make the signing public because "an agreement had been reached with Villarreal over a contract, and it was necessary to formalize that and inform Valencia. It is very important that they found out first hand, and not through other sources.

Goal.com - Ayala Promises Total Che Commitment

[Trim]

Valencia defender Roberto Ayala picked up an ankle injury in yesterday's 2-2 Champions League draw against Inter.

The club's medical team have revealed that the Che defender finished yesterday's game with a "sprain in the left ankle."

The Argentine will undergo treatment and physiotherapy over the next few days, and is ruled out of the La Liga clash against strugglers Nastic.

It is not, however, a huge worry for Valencia, as he is due back inside a week, and should be ready well before the second leg.

Quique Sanchez Flores will meanwhile hand David Navarro a start alongside Raul Albiol.

Meanwhile, the players who started against Inter have all been given the day off.

Goal.com - Ayala Picks Up Ankle Injury

[Pat Murphy]

Ayala In Shock Zaragoza Move

It was never a secret that Roberto Ayala was going to leave Valencia at the end of the last season. However, mere days into his tenure with new club, Villarreal, he's departed the Madrigal for Zaragoza...

In a sensational move, Roberto Ayala is set to leave Villarreal for Real Zaragoza, mere days after formally becoming a staff member at the Yellow Submarine.

The Argentinian internationalist ended his seven year spell at Valencia this year and, prior to his departure under freedom of contract, negotiated a deal with Villarreal. It was with the Madrigal club that he was widely expected to end his career.

However, just weeks after the end of the Spanish season, and long before he's even kicked a ball for the club he joined on June 30, he's left the Vila-Real side.

Real Zaragoza stepped in to secure his signature following the departure of Gabi Milito. Seeking a new centre-back, they paid up Ayala's release clause and landed their second defender of the transfer window after Getafe's Parades.

Ayala is currently in Venezuela with the Argentinian national team, preparing for Sunday's Copa America final against Brazil. Overall, he played 183 league games for Valencia... and zero for Villarreal.

from Goal.com

Goal.com - Transfer Zone - Ayala In Shock Zaragoza Move


Totally shocking move. I had heard about his buyout clause before because there were rumours that Valencia were going to pay it to get him back but what has happened is that Zaragoza have paid the £4m or so clause and then Ayala has agreed to join them so he hadn't even been at Villarreal for 2 weeks.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

I though he had a closed deal with Villareal.Appearantly not!

[Pat Murphy]

Well that's the thing. He had already signed for Villarreal, I even have a picture of him holding up a Villarreal shirt. When he signed for Villarreal he signed on a free transfer with a £4m buyout clause in it. Zaragoza then came along an offered £4m, as it met the buyout clause it had to be accepted and Ayala has obviously accepted Zaragoza's contract.

Meaning that he left Valencia on a free transfer to Villarreal, spent 13 days at Villarreal before Zaragoza met his £4m buyout clause and got him from Villarreal. Meaning he's had 3 clubs in about 2 weeks

[Pat Murphy]

Zaragoza had a big problem at the end of last season and that was that they had to shell out money to keep hold of most of their team as a lot were on loan. In my opinion they've done fantastically in managing to keep those players and making the team stronger for next season.

-------------------------- César

- Diogo ------ Sergio --------- Ayala ------ Juanfran

-------------------------- Zapater

---------- Gabi/Celades ------------- D'Alessandro

--------------------------- Aimar

--------------- Oliveira ----------- D.Milito


They sold Gaby Milito for £12m to largely fund the team. For £13.7m they've bought Diogo (£3m), Gabi (Free), Ayala (£4m), D'allesandro (£2m), bought the rest of Diego Milito (£3.3m) and loaned Oliveira (£1.4m) with the option to buy (£7.1m). They may even make a few more reinforcements before the season starts.

If they have another good season like last year then they could be challenging for a top 4 finish, the UEFA Cup and Copa del Rey.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

The team looks strong.Ayala is a good replacement for Milito.I still rate Ayala over Milito.It would have been cool if both would