(Football news) Giovani Lo Celso has finally joined Villarreal on an initial loan with a view to make the deal permanent next season. His long wait to finally re-sign for Villarreal on loan was worth it as he was allowed to depart Tottenham at the end of the January transfer window. The Argentina international had headed to Estadio de la Ceramica on loan until the end of the 2021/22 season.
It ultimately proved to be a very successful spell for the player after his struggles at Tottenham. He was an integral part of the team that notably helped the Yellow Submarine reach the semi-finals of the Champions League after knocking out Juventus and Bayern Munich. It was always expected that he would re-sign for Villarreal on a permanent deal before the transfer deadline. The midfielder's move dragged on for a bit but did eventually get over the line late on Sunday evening after both clubs agreed on.his loan switch which contains a special release clause for Spurs that they can sell the player if they get a suitable offer. Lo Celso opened up on his return to Villarreal and claimed that the negotiations were not easy for both parties but he was happy that he was back in Spain..
Lo Celso did not feature in any of Tottenham's pre-season plans ahead of the new season but his main focus was to keep himself physically fit. He could potentially make his second debut for Villarreal on Thursday in the Europa Conference League qualifiers against Hajduk Split or on Sunday when they travel to Atletico Madrid in La Liga. Last season he made 22 appearances for the Yellow Submarine under Emery as it is likely that he will be a key part of their midfield once more. It gives Emery plenty of other options in midfield and the option of playing with three in the middle or using Lo Celso as a narrow wide midfielder alongside Etienne Capoue and Dani Parejo.
"I'm very happy to be here again. It was a bit of a long wait, but it was worth it," he said, as reported by Villarreal's official website. "I left with the clear idea that I wanted to come back because it's a club that I like for its philosophy, for the objectives it sets itself and for the way I was welcomed from the first day, making me feel as if I had been here for a long time.
"It was a long negotiation, but I am grateful for the trust, patience, support and effort that the club made for a long time. It was not an easy thing for either side. Personally, I was always hopeful and focused on being as physically fit as possible to be ready when the time came.”
"I feel good physically. I've been training hard, so I feel good," he added. "From the beginning, my objective has always been to be mentally and physically fit. Whether or not I play on Thursday is the coach's decision, but I feel good and ready.
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