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Villarreal legend announces exit from club after six years
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- Villarreal legend announces exit from club after six years
Villarreal legend announces exit from club after six years
Villarreal have announced that veteran midfielder Dani Parejo will leave the club in the summer, after six years at La Ceramica. The 37-year-old has not yet given clarity on whether he will retire or seek a new club.
Less than an hour after Celta Vigo announced that Iago Aspas would be staying at Balaidos for another season, Parejo's departure was announced in an emotional video. The veteran midfielder joined from Valencia in 2020 for €2.25m, and set the standard in midfield for some time at the Yellow Submarine.
Parejo's Villarreal career
Despite already being in his thirties when he arrived, Parejo had arguably the best spell of his career for Villarreal. Dictating tempo in the middle of the pitch, he was one of the key figures when the Yellow Submarine secured the only major title in the club's history, beating Manchester United in the 2021 Europa League final on penalties. In total, he has made 269 appearances, scoring 16 goals and giving 36 assists.
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This season, his participation has been on the decline, as was the case last year under Marcelino Garcia Toral. Over the course of this season, he has made 18 starts and 40 appearances in total, registering a single assist. This Sunday night will be his final game for Villarreal against Atletico Madrid , when the club will pay homage to him.
Retirement or another club?
Arguably one of the best players in Villarreal's history, Parejo is ninth on Villarreal's all-time appearance list, . It is not yet clear whether he will hang up his boots, but he is currently doing his coaching badges, with a view to becoming a manager. With a career that spans 18 years at the top level since his debut for Real Madrid , Parejo has seen more than enough football to justify leaving the game as a player, yet at the same time, still looks at home in La Liga. Villarreal are reportedly looking at Luis Milla as a potential replacement.
