From contract extensions to summer transfers, here are some of the top news headlines to come out of LaLiga this week.
The 2019/20 LaLiga Santander season may be over, but teams are now planning for next year and there have been several important developments in the past week, from coaching changes to contract extensions to confirmed transfers…
Unai Emery is back in LaLiga Santander
After Villarreal announced that Javi Calleja wouldn’t be continuing as head coach, the Yellow Submarine went out and hired Unai Emery to take over on a three-year deal. The Basque tactician is returning to LaLiga Santander, where he’d enjoyed a lot of success at Valencia and Sevilla before stints in France and England with PSG and Arsenal.
López Muñiz bids farewell to Alavés
With four matches remaining in the 2019/20 campaign, Alavés brought in Juan Ramón López Muñiz as a coach with the sole objective of steering the Basque team clear of relegation. He managed to do so, by taking four points from a difficult final four fixtures, ensuring Alavés will spend their centenary in Spain’s top flight. Now, with his job done, López Muñiz is departing and Alavés are searching for their next head coach.
A new contract for Mikel Merino
Mikel Merino has been excellent for Real Sociedad since joining the San Sebastian based club in 2018. At the Reale Arena, he has developed into one of the very best midfielders in Spanish football and Real Sociedad has rewarded the 24-year-old with a new and improved contract which runs to 2025.
Negredo commits to Cádiz
Spanish striker Álvaro Negredo is back in LaLiga Santander, with the 34-year-old having signed with newly promoted Cádiz. The Andalusians will be the fourth team he’ll represent in Spain’s top division after previously turning out for Almería, Sevilla, and Valencia. Negredo was most recently with Al-Nasr in the UAE, while he has also played for Manchester City in England and Besiktas in Turkey.
A tough blow for Eibar’s Cote
Full back Cote has become one of LaLiga’s best left-backs at Eibar but suffered an ACL injury to his right knee in the final round of the 2019/20 season, one that was confirmed this past week after medical examination. It is a huge blow for the player as he embarks on this recovery process and for Eibar, who also bid farewell to their captain Iván Ramis this week.
Real Valladolid announce Orellana deal
After two and a half years at Eibar, Fabián Orellana is another player who won’t be continuing at Ipurua next season. The skilled Chilean winger has agreed to join Real Valladolid, signing with the White and Violets until 2022. Real Valladolid also announced the signing of Luis Pérez this week, with the right-back arriving from Tenerife.
RC Celta strengthen in midfield
The 2019/20 season may have only just finished, but Celta is already working the transfer market to strengthen and ensure that they don’t see a repeat of this season’s dramatic final day survival. The Galician club has signed two new midfielders this past week, with Renato Tapia arriving from Feyenoord and with Álvaro Vadillo making the move from Granada.
Shinji Okazaki renews with Huesca
After Huesca secured promotion back to Spain’s top tier, they have agreed to renew the contract of their top scorer Shinji Okazaki. The Japanese veteran scored 12 goals as Huesca finished 2019/20 as LaLiga SmartBank champions and he’ll now get to experience Spain’s top flight for the first time in his career after penning a one-year extension.
Levante look to LaLiga SmartBank for talent
Even though Mirandés and Ponferradina didn’t challenge for promotion to Spain’s top division this past season, two of their top talents are making the jump up to LaLiga Santander. Levante has gone out and signed central midfielder Mickaël Malsa from Mirandés and right-back Son from Ponferradina.
Four teams win promotion to LaLiga SmartBank
LaLiga SmartBank will feature four new teams next season, all of which secured promotion through a playoff tournament held in southern Spain: Logroñes, Cartagena, Sabadell, and Castellón will play in Spain’s second tier in 2020/21.
