After recovering from a muscle injury sustained during the FIFA international window in November, and following a brief appearance last matchday at San Mamés, Ayoze Pérez has been named in Marcelino’s squad for Villarreal’s crucial Liga clash against a direct European rival this afternoon. For the first time, the Tenerife forward will face his former team, Betis, after parting ways last summer.
This marks their first Reunion since, back in August, the Spanish international surprisingly chose to activate a clause in his contract, ending his illustrious tenure at Benito Villamarín, where he was a fan favourite, and embarking on a new adventure at La Cerámica. A significant offer from the Castellón club altered the plans of both the player and the Betis management.
Ayoze, whose only prior professional experience in Spain was with Tenerife in the Segunda División, returned to Spain in January 2023 on loan from Leicester to Betis. Villarreal also showed interest in acquiring him at that time, but Manuel Pellegrini played a crucial role in influencing the player’s decision. The Betis coach had been keen on Ayoze’s signing for some time, convinced that he could bolster his team’s attacking options, and Pérez quickly validated that belief.
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In his first six months as a verdiblanco, Ayoze became an undisputed starter from day one, securing his position ahead of Juanmi—who had previously been vital for Betis. He made 21 official appearances, netting four goals, winning several penalties, and playing a key role in helping the Andalusian side qualify for the Europa League once again. So much so, that after his loan spell ended and with Ayoze free to negotiate, the club managed to convince him to remain with an offer that, while not meeting the player’s financial aspirations, included release clauses that allowed him to retain control over his future.
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Ayoze’s first full season at Betis was remarkable in terms of statistics, participating in 38 official matches and scoring 11 goals, although he faced a serious ankle injury that sidelined him for nearly two months between January and March. The forward returned strongly, scoring five goals in the last seven Liga matches to help the verdiblancos secure a spot in the Conference League.
The player and the club discussed a renewal that would reward his performances, which was expected to materialize after the Euro 2024, where he became a full international as a bético. It seemed that an agreement was just a matter of time until Villarreal made an offer that Betis ultimately chose not to match (should they have done so, Ayoze’s contract would have been amended, raising the clause to over €10 million). An abrupt ending when the number 10 appeared destined to make history at the club, following in the footsteps of another Canarian, Rubén Castro.
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Betis understood that committing to such a high contract for a 31-year-old player contradicted their initiative to reduce the wage bill (as seen with the departures of Guido Rodríguez and Nabil Fekir). Ayoze, who hesitated until the last moment about heading to Villarreal, ultimately paid his release clause of €4 million to join the ‘submarine’ project.
In a recent interview with Sport, Ayoze confessed that he never thought he would leave Betis last summer: “Honestly, no. We won the Euro, I went on vacation, and there were talks about renewing my contract while reviewing my clause at Betis. I believed it was going to happen and I would continue there.”
However, everything changed in mid-August: “There are moments in life when you have to make decisions, not only in football but in all areas. I had to think about what might be best for me. Villarreal arrived unexpectedly and valued me highly; they were a club that made a strong commitment to me. I had to think a lot about it. Honestly, it wasn’t easy at all. It was difficult because I was very comfortable at Betis. But I stand by my belief that in life, you have to make decisions, and I chose to sign for Villarreal, and I’m very happy about it.” Today will be a special day for Ayoze, though likely not as much as the day he returns to Benito Villamarín, where his departure was deeply felt.
“Ayoze’s situation stemmed from various factors that we won’t delve into now. Of course, I would have loved to have him here, an international player who performed very well for us and is doing so at Villarreal as well. It’s a matter that was settled when it happened, there will always be different versions, and he’s performing just as we expected because he is a player of very high quality,” said Pellegrini yesterday, likely the one who misses the Tenerife native the most at Heliópolis.
