Alaves have completed the signing of Aleix Vidal from Sevilla on loan for the 2019/20 season but without an option to purchase permanently next year. The 29-year-old had reportedly recently been told by new manager Julen Lopetegui that he won’t get many opportunities under him, prompting a move to a fellow La Liga side.
Vidal has been on a somewhat downward spiral ever since going back to Sevilla after failing to integrate himself at Barcelona. He only made 11 La Liga appearances last season for Los Rojiblancos, but now embarks for a club who can definitely make good use of his talents.
A new chapter
Ever since his time at Barcelona started going wrong, Vidal struggled to become the menacing right-back he had the reputation of being. Too many injuries over the course of the last few seasons has threatened to derail his career, but Alaves have handed him a new chance to find back his groove.
“I want to thank the club for the bet they have made for me, it seemed that the operation was going to get complicated but in the end everything went very quickly and well. I will try to return the trust they have placed in me in the field,” he said in his presentation as an Alaves player.
“I grew up in a humble club like Almeria and it was where I felt happier as a professional, for me this is not a step back, but one more step. The important thing for me right now is to play and have minutes, this is a challenge just as important as when I went to Barcelona or Seville.”, he further explained, indicating how this opportunity could be a stepping stone for him to climb the ladder in La Liga once again.
A shot at redemption
Luck hasn’t really been in Vidal’s favour over the past years. He’s only made 32 appearances out of a possible 114 in La Liga in the past three seasons, with abrupt injuries and lack of match-fitness always derailing his progress at either side. However, Alaves have given him a chance to redeem his past failures and help them lodge a cheeky challenge for a European spot.
Considering his versatility at playing as a wing-back or a full-back, the 29-year-old’s involvement will definitely boost El Glorioso’s effectiveness penetrating through the right-side. Vidal’s a resurgent figure going forward and often ends up in a dangerous area thanks to his speed and trickery.
Not only will he compliment strikers John Guidetti, Joselu and Lucas Perez, but also midfielders Pere Pons and Tomas Pina thanks to his unpredictability moving through the right. While the quintessential objective will be to raise his fitness and performance-level, Vidal will be aiming to find his spark, create goals and prove to Lopetegui that he still has a lot left in the tank.