Valencia have reached an agreement with Barcelona over the transfer of Dutch goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen, the club have confirmed. Cillessen, 30, will join the club on a four-year contract, seeing him through until the summer of 2023. Included in the deal in a buyout clause of €80 million.
Valencia Sign Jasper Cillessen From Barcelona
WELCOME @JasperCillessen ??
OFFICIAL STATEMENT ➡https://t.co/PfqfCmFlIS pic.twitter.com/0YiRAQqmCw— Valencia CF English ?? (@valenciacf_en) June 26, 2019
From Back-Up to Main Man?
Cillessen moved to Barca at the start of the 2016/17 campaign and has played second fiddle to first-choice stopper Marc-Andre Ter-Stegen for the duration of his stay. This season, he made just three appearances in La Liga, conceding four times.
In addition, he made one appearance in the club’s Champions League run to the semi-finals, playing against Tottenham Hotspur at the Nou Camp in the group stages. Cillessen also played seven of Barca’s nine matches in the Copa del Rey. Featuring in the first six games, he then missed the first leg of the semi-final against Real Madrid through injury before sitting on the bench for the second leg. He then regained his place for the final which his side lost 2-1 against the club he is joining – Valencia.
Los Ches currently have two goalkeepers in their squad; 28-year-old Jaume Domenech and 29-year-old Neto, who also moved from Barcelona this summer. It’s not yet known what the pecking order will be, but Cillessen’s experience in both club and international football lands him in good stead to take the number one spot.
Cillessen’s arrival provides good competition in the goalkeeping department ahead of Valencia’s 2019/20 campaign. They will once again be competing in the Champions League after securing a fourth-place finish in La Liga last season, so will need all three of their stoppers to be ready to play in case of injury.
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