Rufete: Lim got Negredo to Valencia

Valencia sporting director Rufete has clarified the involvement of Peter Lim with the club and credited him with signing Alvaro Negredo.

Negredo returned to La Liga on a season-long loan from Manchester City, the deal confirmed shortly before the close of the transfer deadline.

Rufete, in an interview with AS, confirmed Lim still isn’t the official owner of the club but revealed he is calling the shots, particularly with regard to transfers and finances.

Lim’s Meriton holding company owns the registration of a number of players, many of whom have been taken to Mestalla, Rufete added.

“We started the summer knowing Juan Bernat and Jeremy Mathieu were going to go, and look how we ended it,” Rufete said, referencing the new Bayern Munich and Barcelona signings.

“I don’t think Valencia are rich. That’s not the concept of the project. What you need is time, context and hard work and signing Negredo is the union between a plan and Peter Lim who, pending a signature, will be the owner of the club.

“Mr Lim brought Rodrigo and Andre Gomes because he owns them. We have the option of Enzo Perez but…we looked at other names.

“Among them was Negredo, because the Coach wanted to play with two strikers. It was hard to sign Negredo for economic reasons.

“The President talked with Mr Lim and explained the reasons for the interest in Negredo and it seemed successful.

“City insisted on a purchase price. And obviously Mr Lim had to give the ok. That’s when it came together.

“Without Mr Lim Negredo wouldn’t be here. We, as a club, got to this juncture. But in that operation the club and Mr Lim have worked together.”

Tags Alvaro Negredo Peter Lim Rufete
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