Rayo Vallecano retain key star after Villarreal agreement | OneFootball

Rayo Vallecano have already secured a shrewd piece of transfer business ahead of the 2025/26 La Liga season.

The new campaign will be historic in Vallecas after Inigo Perez’s team dramatically clinched the final European place in La Liga at the end of 2024/25.

As eighth place meant a place in the UEFA Conference League, Rayo held their nerve, to bring European football back to their corner of Madrid for the first time in 24 years.

However, the build up to the new season has not been without controversy, amid ongoing concerns over whether their home stadium will pass La Liga and UEFA safety checks this month.

Perez’s budget has been squeezed again, with veteran striker Raul de Tomas moving on, and new arrivals via Felipe Luiz on loan from Marseille and Augusto Batalla joining from River Plate.

Alongside the new faces, the club have also confirmed a deal with Villarreal, to end their link with right back Andrei Ratiu.

Ratiu was a key player for Rayo last season, with two goals from 35 league appearances, amid links to the Premier League.

Ratiu stays at Rayo

Rayo have battled hard to keep him and they have now reached a deal to purchase the remaining 50% of his player rights from their La Liga rivals.

Image via Cordon Press

The original 2023 deal between the two teams meant Villarreal kept that 50% as a security option over Ratiu’s development.

Despite his rise, the Yellow Submarine have now made their call, with Marcelino confident he will not be sold on.

Rayo’s La Liga season starts on August 15, on the road at Girona, but they face a Conference League playoff at the end of August, with opponents unconfirmed at this stage.

They will take on either KI, of the Faroe Islands, or Belarusian side Neman Grodno in the race to secure safe passage into the league phase in September.