Article por @VillarrealfanTV en X.
Why Álvaro Vallés could be the perfect replacement for Filip Jörgensen?
Rumors about Jörgensen have intensified this past week, as he is being strongly linked with Chelsea FC. It is said that Filip, who just signed a new contract with Villarreal until 2029, has reached a personal agreement with Chelsea. For the second consecutive year, another young Villarreal talent could join the Blues.
Villarreal has been extremely effective so far in the summer transfer window, both in signings and departures. Marcelino has expressed his desire for the new additions to integrate into the team as soon as possible, and the club has set to work. The goalkeeper who could become the perfect replacement for Jörgensen is Álvaro Valles, from UD Las Palmas.
Álvaro was undoubtedly one of the best goalkeepers in La Liga last season in an exciting UD Las Palmas team that surprised many clubs in the first half of the season. Valles has attracted interest from top European clubs after an impressive season. Marseille, Betis, Chelsea, and now Villarreal have been knocking on his door. It is said that he wants to stay in La Liga, and Villarreal has a golden opportunity to sign one of the best goalkeepers in the league. Betis, another interested party, could be the main competitor, as Álvaro trained at the Andalusian club.
Álvaro Valles profile:
- Height: 191 cm.
- Preferred foot: right.
- Age: 27.
- Club: UD Las Palmas
- Contract expires: June 30, 2025.
- Nationality: Spanish.
What makes him stand out?
The first attribute to highlight is his reflexes and instinctive saves, though he is also capable of making dives to stop medium and long-distance shots. His reach also makes him a difficult goalkeeper to beat in one-on-one situations, as coming out to face the striker allows him to cover a lot of the goal.
Comparison with Filip Jörgensen:
- ✅Save percentage of Álvaro Vallés: 74.3%
- Save percentage of Filip Jörgensen: 72.2%
- This is reflected in the average goals conceded per game, with Filip at 1.8 goals per game and✅ Álvaro at 1.2 goals per game.
When it comes to clean sheets and penalty saves, Valles has better statistics. He had 8 clean sheets, while Jörgensen had 6. Jörgensen and Villarreal conceded 65 goals, setting the record for the most goals conceded in Villarreal's history. It is important to emphasize that this was due to the lack of reinforcements in the central defense position following Pau Torres' departure, injuries, and two coaching changes. ✅Álvaro and UD Las Palmas conceded 44.
Another underrated attribute that goes unnoticed is his ability to stop penalties. This is an important asset for a goalkeeper.
Comparison with Filip Jörgensen:
- Penalties saved by Filip Jörgensen: 0/6, 0%
- ✅Penalties saved by Álvaro Vallés: 4/9, 33.33%* *One of the penalties did not go on target.
Areas where Vallés can improve:
- Dealing with corners: Neither he nor Jörgensen are very dominant in aerial play, which could lead to dangerous situations with rebounds and goal opportunities.
- Passing (medium and long distance): This is an area where Valles is slightly outperformed. Jörgensen is slightly better at medium and long-distance passes, although both are on par with short passes, with Valles even having better numbers than Filip.
- Handling rebounds: Like Jörgensen, Valles can improve in catching the ball instead of parrying it into dangerous areas.
Conclusion
- Overall, he is a solid goalkeeper in the price range of 6-12 million euros.
- He has La Liga experience and is Spanish.
- His contract expires next year, so if UD Las Palmas wants to profit from his transfer, they should sell him.
- He is a mature goalkeeper with a bright future, being only 27 years old.
Article written by @VillarrealfanTV = https://x.com/VillarrealfanTV. This is just a translation. Check the Spanish version for links.
English 
Spanish