ALEX VALLEJO: THE NEWEST TERRIER
Zak Armitage, Writer
Twitter: @ZakSportWriter
ALEX VALLEJO: THE NEWEST TERRIER
Not much is known about the latest arrival in West Yorkshire, Spanish midfielder Alex Vallejo, so with the midfielder now out of quarantine and available for selection I took the opportunity to learn a bit more about him.
What sort of player is he?
At 6 foot 3, Vallejo is a tall defensive minded player, with Carlos Corberan saying, “He is a midfielder who can help the team in playing out to build attacks. He will receive the ball from our defenders and make the transition into the higher part of the team”. This bodes well for Town who lack depth in the defensive midfield role, with Jonathan Hogg the only senior option before the arrival of Vallejo.
What sort of career has he had?
It would be appear that Vallejo is a journeyman of the Segunda División, featuring for his previous three teams Mallorca, Córdoba, and Fuenlabrada in that league. This being the second tier of Spanish football has similarities to the Championship, so it is expected that Vallejo will look comfortable in the Championship for Town.
What sort of season did he have last year?
It was a disappointing season for the Basque midfielder last year, as he struggled for game time in his one and only season with Fuenlabrada. He was released in January after an unsuccessful 5 months with the Spanish side making just 10 league appearances, and due to this fitness could well be an issue in the early weeks of his Huddersfield career.
What did his previous teams supporters think of him?
I wasn’t able to attain any information from Fuenlabrada supporters on Vallejo, this isn’t surprising bearing in mind his spell with the club was only brief. One Córdoba fan however said of Vallejo, “He did not stand out too footballingly, but perhaps he stands out there (Huddersfield). You never know in football”.
My Opinion
Ultimately this was a smart buy for the club, as it adds depth to the team and takes the burden off Jonathan Hogg a bit in the midfield, without the pressure of a transfer fee. I wouldn’t expect Vallejo to be the next Aaron Mooy, but more of a solid, dependable squad player who offers Carlos Corberan another option in midfield. To be successful in the Championship you have to have a strong squad with players ready to come in to the team when need be. Think of someone like Martin Cranie in our promotion season for example, who always stepped up when Tommy Smith was absent, hopefully Vallejo can be this for Jonathan Hogg.
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