Peter Lim demands wreaking havoc with Valencia transfer window as operations hit dead end

By Ruairidh Barlow - 9 August 2023, 10:13

Valencia have made just two signings this summer, despite the loss of several important players from last season. Following on from the sale of Yunus Musah, the exit of Edinson Cavani and the departure of several loanees too, Valencia are in need of reinforcements, but so far have only brought in Pepelu and Cenk Ozkacar, the latter who was on loan last year.

According to Relevo, all of their operations have been paralysed by Peter Lim, despite some being ready to go. Supposedly he demands that two of Samu Castillejo, Uros Racic and Marcos Andre depart before anyone else arrives.

Castillejo was due to head to Espanyol, who were willing to cover his salary, but Valencia are instead holding out for a better offer from Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile Los Che were negotiating the release of Racic, but Lim has demanded that Racic does not make a single euro from the mutual termination.

Andre was due to head to Real Valladolid on loan for the season, and has also been linked with Alaves, but Lim will only accept his exit on a permanent deal. He wants at least 60% of the fee they still have to ammortise from Andre’s original move, which amounts to €3.2m – a figure neither Alaves nor Valladolid will get close to.

Valencia had been close to tying up a loan deal for Selim Amallah from Valladolid, and had agreed terms with Brentford’s Sergi Canos, but both of those operations have been halted by Lim’s demands.

In addition, he has requested that at the end of all of these operations, they remain €3m under their salary limit for the season. The Madrid-based outlet assume that this is for the incorporation of Sevilla forward Rafa Mir, who has been heavily linked with a return to Los Che.

It appears Ruben Baraja and Valencia are in for another tough season, and this transfer policy threatens to leave them seriously under-resourced for the coming campaign. It is worth noting that Valencia survived relegation only on the final day of last season, but there is little doubt that on paper, they are weaker currently.