Norwich City have announced the signing of Spanish left-back Xavi Quintilla on a season-long loan deal from Villarreal.
The 23-year-old becomes the Canaries’ second loan addition in as many days, after Oliver Skipp also joined for the 2020/21 campaign from Tottenham Hotspur.
Xavi Quintilla Joins Norwich City on Loan
A Versatile Operator
Quintilla will bring versatility to Norwich’s defence, as he is primarily a left-back but can also operate as a central defender.
As part of the deal agreed, the Canaries hold the option of making the Spaniard their player permanently.
After playing for Barcelona’s academy from 2009 to 2015, Quintilla made eight appearances for their reserve side. He was then loaned out to Lleida Esportiu.
In 2017, Quintilla left the Catalan for Villarreal, where he also initially played for their reserve outfit, prior to his first-team debut in November 2018.
Last term, Quintilla served as Villarreal’s back-up left-back behind Alberto Moreno. However, he still managed to feature 23 times in all competitions after the former Liverpool man missed certain parts of the campaign through injury.
What Was Said?
Speaking to the Canaries’ official club website, Quintilla expressed his pride after earning the opportunity to play in England.
He stated: “I’m so happy and proud to be here and to play for Norwich in England and in the Championship.
“I come here to play as many minutes as possible. We want to play good football for the fans to see. I would love to play in the Premier League, so I will do everything possible to get Norwich into the top league.”
Discussing his thoughts after the completion of the transfer, Norwich head coach Daniel Farke said: “Xavi is a player we’ve been following and tracking for some time.
“He’s a humble person who wants to develop his game. As a player, he has good technical and tactical skills and is very good in possession of the ball.”
Norwich’s Left-Back Dilemma
The Spaniard’s arrival at Carrow Road means that Norwich now have three recognised left-backs in their ranks, with Jamal Lewis and Sam McCallum completing the trio.
It would now not be a great surprise if Lewis was to leave the club, with competition in that position looking congested.
Premier League champions Liverpool already expressed their interest in the Northern Ireland international earlier in the transfer window, before moving on to sign Kostas Tsimikas, after their offer for Lewis was rejected.
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