Espanyol and Getafe are reportedly keen on signing out of favour Spanish midfielder Jesus Vallejo from Real Madrid in the summer transfer window.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes, Espanyol and Getafe have joined the race to sign Jesus Vallejo in the summer transfer window. The 25-year-old defender will leave Real Madrid ahead of the 2022/23 season and appears likely to remain in La Liga.
Jesus Vallejo was widely regarded as one of the most promising young defenders in Spain when he joined Real Madrid from Real Zaragoza in July 2015, aged 18. After all, the Spaniard was already the club captain for the Aragonese club while still in his teens, meaning he was primed for big things at Real Madrid.
But the move to Real Madrid has not panned out as envisioned for Vallejo, as he has either been on the fringes of the first team or shipped out on loan. This season, the 25-year-old has been a part of the first-team squad at the Santiago Bernabeu but has garnered only 14 minutes of game-time in three appearances.
With Real Madrid set to enter a crucial summer transfer window, which will see them sign a centre-back amid links with Antonio Rudiger, Kalidou Koulibaly and others, Vallejo seems to have no future at the Santiago Bernabeu. But he could remain in La Liga going into the 2022/23 season, with Espanyol and Getafe keen on signing him.
At Espanyol, Sergi Gomez and Leandro Cabrera are on the wrong side of 30, meaning Vallejo could move to the Catalan club to offer them the best years of his career. Also, with Vicente Moreno having a shortage of centre-backs at his disposal, the out of favour Real Madrid defender has emerged as a viable target.
On the other hand, Getafe could do with signing Vallejo, considering Stefan Mitrovic and Djene Dakonam are in their thirties. With the latter also linked with a possible summer exit, bringing the 25-year-old on board could be a step in the right direction for Getafe.
But Espanyol and Getafe are not the only La Liga clubs showing an interest in Vallejo, with the Real Madrid defender also emerging on the radar of Real Betis. Joining the Verdiblancos could offer the former Real Zaragoza captain the chance to play for a team that can crack the top four in La Liga while also competing in Europe, meaning Getafe and Espanyol will have an uphill task in his pursuit.