The agent of former West Ham United, Everton and Premier League striker Enner Valencia has confirmed that La Liga giants Barcelona came calling during the January transfer window, speaking to Mach Deportes.
The phrase ‘ageing like a fine wine’ could have been invented for him.
At the age of 33, Valencia is in the form of his life. He’s broken the 20-goal barrier in a league season for the very first time. What’s more, it took him just 15 starts to do it; the evergreen Ecuadorian running away with the Turkish Super Lig’s Golden Boot.
He is already seven clear of Fabio Borini (he of Liverpool, Swansea and Sunderland fame). In fact, across all competitions, Valencia has 26 goals this term for club and country, including the three he scored at the Qatar World Cup.
If Valencia was a decade younger, he would be up there with the world’s most coveted number nines. But, even in his mid-30s, the one-time West Ham and Everton frontman is still attracting admiring glances from some of Europe’s bonafide A-listers.
Barcelona wanted former Everton and West Ham striker Enner Valencia
“It was wonderful news (to hear Barcelona wanted Valencia),” agent Gonzalo Vargas says.
“There was a survey from Barcelona. Just the fact of being on the Catalan team’s radar is a source of pride for his family.”
According to Vargas, that initial interest went no further. Valencia, then, will have to deal with the knowledge that a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity may have slipped through his fingers. Not that he is wasting any time dwelling on what might have been, however.
“If you are on the radar of a club like Barcelona, you are doing your job properly. It is not an easy task to get on the radar of such clubs,” Valencia beams.
“When I saw the news, I thought they were making fun of me. I said; ‘I guess it’s some kind of joke’. Then I started seeing the news everywhere.”
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
