Derby County defender Raul Albentosa has joined La Liga outfit Malaga on a season-long loan.
The 26-year-old joined Derby from Eibar for €600,000 last season, but he struggled to make an impression with the Rams as he made just nine appearances.
Prior to his move to England, he had spent most of his career in the Spanish lower leagues with Elche, Murcia, San Roque, Cadiz and Eibar.
Albentosa was a hit during his time in Spain
During his time with Eibar he made 50 appearances and was key in back-to-back promotions for the minnows.
Eibar thrived in the top flight when he was in the defence and they slipped down the table when he left for England. The move to Malaga could see him recapture the form he showed at the start of last season.
Speaking to the club's official website, new manager Paul Clement described the move as "a good fit" for the defender, saying that after speaking to Albentosa it was clear that he had "struggled to adapt" to life in England in cultural terms.
However, Clement was keen to stress that "he's still a Derby County player" and that the club was wishing him well, monitoring his progress and hoping that he will have "a positive experience" in La Liga with what he described as "a good club" in Malaga.
There could still be a place for him in English football
Speaking in March, Albentosa noted that the biggest differences between the two countries were that the Spanish game is "more technical and tactical", while in England games are more "physical and very intense", and "played at a very fast pace".
However, while he admitted that he was new to the English game, he said at the time that he wasn't struggling to adapt despite the differences.
He joins goalkeeper Kelle Roos and defender Farrend Dawson as the players out on loan. Both have joined Rotherham United for the season.
New signing Alex Pearce should be expected to challenge Jake Buxton for his starting spot. The Irish defender joined on a free transfer after nine years with Reading.
