2015-16 Season Preview: Valencia

Coach: Nuno Santo

Key signings: Rodrigo Moreno, Alvaro Negredo, Zakaria Bakkali

Key sales: Nicolas Otamendi, Andres Guardado

Last season: 4th

This season [predicted finish]: 5th

Predicted finish is the average finish of the Football Espana team.

Having attained Champions League football last season with fluid, attacking football, there was rightly a sense of optimism radiating from Valencia and those connected with the club about their chances for the upcoming campaign.

And yet, just days before the start of the new League season, Valencia have lost arguably La Liga’s best defender of the past 12 months in Nicolas Otamendi. The Argentine completed a move to Manchester City in a €42m deal, €30m more than they bought him for last year.

But what is profit if Valencia cannot compete at the highest level? World-class defenders are hard to come by, and when you are playing in the Champions League – as Los Che are this season – they are very much needed.

Rather unfortunately, the Otamendi deal was necessitated by the purchase of Alvaro Negredo from City. The €30m striker has struggled for form and fitness since his move last summer. However, the powerful striker scored 23 goals in his debut season in England and 31 the year before for Sevilla. The quality is there, and if Coach Nuno Santo can tap into that quality, one can expect Valencia to vastly outscore teams.

Otamendi’s departure does give an opportunity to Ruben Vezo to step up to the first team. The 21-year-old centre-back has only made 17 appearances over the past two seasons but started in their Champions League playoff first-leg victory over Monaco.

While, on the face of it, Valencia have spent a lot this season, much of the money spent involved making loan deals from last season permanent, including Negredo, Rodrigo Moreno, Andre Gomes and Joao Cancelo. In truth, there are only a few new face at the Mestalla, one of which is Santi Mina. The 19-year-old forward has made the step up from Celta Vigo after an encouraging season, which saw him score nine goals in 18 starts.

Youth definitely seems to be on the agenda, as Valencia have picked up two more 19-year-olds in Zakaria Bakkali and Danilo Barbosa. Bakkali stunned the football world as he scored a hat-trick for PSV in the Eredivisie at the tender age of 17. Already a full international with Belgium, this could be the signing of the season if all goes well, having signed the winger for nothing.

Voted the second-best player at the U20 World Cup, Brazilian Danilo Barbosa also shows much promise. The defensive midfielder has moved on loan from Braga with an option to buy for €17m.

Last season would have given fans of Los Che real hope of a potential return to the former glories they enjoyed a decade ago. However, no team lose arguably their best player and bounce back in the same manner, at least not without a suitable replacement. But Valencia have a very young squad and will improve year on year. If they can juggle Champions League and domestic commitments, expect the top-four race to be another tight affair.

La Liga - Club News