Has Ben Brereton Diaz's move to Villarreal from Blackburn Rovers gone to plan? | OneFootball

Highlights

Though they will have been gutted to see him go, Blackburn Rovers supporters may well have been a little relieved when Ben Brereton Diaz's move to Villarreal was announced this summer.

The forward's Ewood Park exit had been long signposted and was confirmed after the final day victory against Millwall but after more than 18 months of speculation about his future, the Spanish club's ratification that he'd put pen to paper on a four-year deal finally put an end to the long-running saga.

Rovers had splashed out a reported £7 million to sign Brereton Diaz from Nottingham Forest in 2018 - an investment that looked as though it could be misplaced when he struggled in his first two seasons at the club.

There were signs in 2020/21 that he could be about to come good and so it proved the following season when he scored 22 times and provided three assists for Blackburn while also making his mark on the international stage with Chile.

Last term he added 15 more goals and four more assists but those would prove to be his last contributions in a Rovers shirt - for now anyway - as he left when his contract expired and joined Villarreal.

How is Ben Brereton Diaz getting on at Villarreal?

It's been a slow start for the 24-year-old. He made headlines by impressing his new teammates with his initiation song but is yet to follow that up on the pitch.

Brereton Diaz made his debut in the 1-0 win over RCD Mallorca on the 18th of August but that has proven to be one of just two starts for his new club - the other coming in a 2-0 Europa League defeat away at Panathinaikos.

In total, the Chile international has made seven appearances for Villarreal, six of which have been in LaLiga, but is yet to contribute either a goal or an assist.

It speaks to his early season struggles that the forward, who was such a goal threat for Blackburn, has barely threatened to open his account for Villarreal.

The Spanish club's new number nine has been used off the left as well as in a centre-forward role but in six LaLiga appearances, he's yet to have a shot on target and has an xG of just 0.09 (Sofascore).

He's not mustered much more as a creator either - 0.18 xA, 0 big chances created, and 0.3 key passes per 90 (Sofascore) - but a recent 17-minute cameo against Girona was one of his better performances and hinted that he might be slowly finding his feet.

How are Villarreal getting on this season?

It's been an underwhelming start to the season for Villarreal as well, which is no doubt a factor in Brereton Diaz's struggles.

They finished fifth in LaLiga last term but sit 13th in the table after eight games and have already made a change in the dugout, with Placheta replacing Quique Setién at the start of September.

That move does appear to be having the desired effect as they've taken six of their nine LaLiga points in the last four games and beat Rennes in the Europa League.

Has Ben Brereton Diaz's move to Villarreal from Blackburn Rovers gone to plan?

It's too early to make any sort of definitive judgment on whether Brereton Diaz's move to Villarreal has been a success or a failure but he's certainly not had the start that he will have been hoping for.

There is, of course, plenty of time for him to turn things around and it's likely the case that the forward just needs to properly get to grips with LaLiga and his new teammates before we see the best of him on the pitch.

With a contract that runs until the summer of 2027, the 24-year-old has certainly got time to prove himself out in Spain.