Fran Villalba

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Villalba and the second or maternal family name is Rodrigo.
Fran Villalba
Personal information
Full name Francisco José Villalba Rodrigo
Date of birth (1998-05-11) 11 May 1998
Place of birth Valencia, Spain
Height 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Valencia B
Youth career
2011– Valencia
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015– Valencia B 25 (1)
2015– Valencia 1 (0)
National team‡
2014 Spain U16 2 (1)
2014–2015 Spain U17 17 (3)
2016 Spain U18 2 (0)
2016– Spain U19 2 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 27 August 2016.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 17 August 2016

Francisco 'Fran' José Villalba Rodrigo (born 11 May 1998) is a Spanish footballer who plays for Valencia CF Mestalla as a central midfielder.

Club career

Born in the neighbourhood of El Cabanyal, Valencia,[1] Villalba was a Valencia CF youth graduate. On 1 August 2014, after being linked to Liverpool,[2] he signed a new four-year deal with Los Che.[3]

On 1 February 2015, aged only 16, Villalba made his senior debut with the reserves, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 1–2 away loss against CD Olímpic de Xàtiva for the Segunda División B championship.[4] He appeared in two further matches during the campaign, all of them from the bench.

On 26 June 2015 Villalba was called up to the main squad by manager Nuno Espírito Santo for the pre-season.[5] He made his professional debut on 16 December, as a half-time substitute for André Gomes in a 2–0 Copa del Rey home win against Barakaldo CF.[6]

Villalba made his La Liga debut on 31 December 2015, coming on in the 84th minute in a 0–1 away loss against Villarreal CF.[7]

References

  1. ↑ "Fran Villalba es la joya de Nuno" [Fran Villalba is Nuno's pearl] (in Spanish). Super Deporte. 13 July 2015. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  2. ↑ "Spanish 'jewel' midfielder rejects Liverpool contract offers". Soccerlens. 1 August 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  3. ↑ "Fran Villalba rechaza al Liverpool para firmar con el Valencia" [Fran Villalba rejects Liverpool to sign with Valencia] (in Spanish). Super Deporte. 1 August 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  4. ↑ "El Mestalla cae ante el Olímpic de Xàtiva" [Mestalla falls against Olímpic de Xàtiva] (in Spanish). Super Deporte. 1 February 2015. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  5. ↑ "Fran Villalba hará la pretemporada con el primer equipo" [Fran Villalba will make the pre-season with the first team] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. 26 June 2015. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  6. ↑ "Un brindis por la vuelta de Negredo" [Cheers for Negredo's return] (in Spanish). Marca. 16 December 2015. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  7. ↑ "Fran Villalba debuta en la Liga" [Fran Villalba debuts in the league] (in Spanish). Super Deporte. 31 December 2015. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
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