Alberto Moleiro has made a decision that marks a turning point in his career. The young talent from UD Las Palmas, considered for years one of the jewels of Spanish soccer, has signed for Villarreal CF. The club from La Plana is ahead of other major clubs on the national scene and secures the services of the Canarian attacking midfielder, who had long been on Barcelona's radar.
Moleiro has always been linked to Pedri, his close friend since their days in the youth academy of the yellow club. They shared a locker room at Las Palmas and dreamed of doing so again at the elite level. However, while the player from Tenerife is succeeding at Camp Nou as one of Barça's key pieces, fate has taken the other Canarian down a different path.
For several transfer windows, Moleiro's name was strongly rumored as a reinforcement for the Catalan team. There were even positive reports from the technical department, which saw him as an ideal generational replacement for the midfield at the Catalan club. However, the club's financial priorities and the lack of space in the squad ultimately left that signing hanging in the air.
Baena moves to Atlético de Madrid
Now, with Álex Baena's departure to Atlético de Madrid, Villarreal has seized the opportunity to finalize Moleiro's signing. The Canarian arrives at La Cerámica with the mission of taking on a leading role and filling the creative void left by the Spanish international. The Yellow Submarine strengthens its squad with a young, unbalancing player hungry for soccer.
This move is a hard blow for those Barça fans who hoped to one day see the two Canarian talents together wearing Barça's jersey. The player's camp was always willing for him to wear the Catalan colors, but the contacts never materialized into a real offer. Villarreal, meanwhile, did make a strong bet on him and convinced both the footballer and Las Palmas.
Star move
With this move, Alberto Moleiro ensures he will keep growing in a competitive environment, with playing time and trust. In addition, his signing for a team established in the fight for Europe could catapult his career to even greater heights. If everything goes well, a move to a major club could happen later, although Camp Nou no longer seems to be his natural destination.
Meanwhile, Barcelona loses the opportunity to add a player who fit its soccer DNA. Moleiro combines vision, dribbling, and game reading, qualities that recalled the best version of Pedri. However, the Catalan club, focused on other market priorities and constrained by the salary cap, let another jewel of national soccer slip away.
The dream of sharing a locker room with his childhood friend is put on hold. Pedri will keep defending Barça's colors while Moleiro will try to shine at Villarreal. Two careers that began together and today take different paths, though always united by the friendship and talent born in Las Palmas's academy.