The expected £1.8m capture of Joel Valencia from Polish top flight side Piast Gliwice, who is reported to be having a medical at Brentford today, underlines what hectic time it is for the Brentford Directors of Football as they make final preparations for the new season.

The task of ensuring the club is fully prepared to cover the threat of losing our big name players must become ever more difficult, the sports pages and social media is full of stories linking Bees players with moves elsewhere, however, the signing of Ecuadorian-born winger Valencia, who comes with rave reviews from fans of the current Polish Champions, shows the Bees remain proactive in the market with a little over a week until the transfer window closes. So what do we know about Valencia?

Well, he moved to Spain from Ecuador in 2002, joining Real Zaragoza’s youth setup as an eleven-year-old after being spotted by local scouts and progressed through the academy set-up. He made his La Liga debut in August 2011 while still a junior, coming on as a late substitute in a 6-0 home defeat against Real Madrid, a game in which Christiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick. Several loan spells followed, including a stint at Slovenian outfit Koper, before he was snapped up by Piast Gliwice in July 2017, where he scored 9 goals in 60 appearances. 

Polish football expert, Christoper Lash, describes Valencia as; “A really intelligent player who directed Piast Gliwice’s title winning side last season. He’s clever with the ball, a good passer, with good movement and is deceptively strong for a small player. His best position is behind a lone striker.” Many Brentford fans feel this deal could signal the departure of Ollie Watkins who has been heavily linked with a move to Crystal Palace.

Dave Lane
@beesotted100

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