The first signing for Liverpool by Rafael Benitez has now completed his move back to his homeland. Spaniard Josemi joined the Reds during the summer of Rafa’s arrival, but thanks to language difficulties his family could not settle, and the player found it hard to get buy professionally. In what seems on the face of it to be an excellent deal for Liverpool, the player that cost the Reds £2million is being exchanged for Villarreal’s Dutch international defender Jan Kromkamp – who cost Villareal £4.8million just six months ago.
Speaking at a press conference in Spain, Josemi explained how the move back to his homeland had delighted him and his family: “Myself and my family are really happy to be returning to Spain – I’m thankful to Villarreal for giving me this chance.”
Josemi may have left the European Champions, but he says that Villareal are still a big club: “The club is showing that it is growing all the time and the results prove that it is now one of the biggest clubs in Europe.” Villareal have made it through to the last 16 of the Champions League and are fourth in La Liga; they are certainly a bigger club than the one he left to join the Reds – Malaga.
Josemi managed to get a European Cup winner’s medal in Istanbul, after being an unused substitute, but was rarely used after showing he wasn’t managing to adapt to the English game. He felt he wasn’t allowed enough chances: “I wasn’t given all the chances I had hoped I would get at Liverpool. Now I want to recover the sort of form I showed when I played at Malaga.”
26-year-old Josemi has signed for four and half-years and, like Kromkamp, will be ineligible for his new club in the Champions League. Kromkamp’s deal should be tied up in the next day or two.