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Pepelu signs lifetime contract with Levante, leaves for rivals a year later

Home> Football

Published 14:50 9 Jul 2023 GMT+1

Pepelu signs lifetime contract with Levante, leaves for rivals a year later

Pepelu penned a 10-year contract after relegation to the second tier, but he has moved on to pastures new.

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

On 9 June 2022, Spanish midfielder Pepelu committed his future to his boyhood club despite suffering relegation to the second tier.

Levante finished 19th on 35 points in La Liga, four points from safety after 38 games in the 2021/22 campaign.

Despite the huge disappointment, Jose Luis Garcia Vaya - or better known as Pepelu - signed a lifetime contract with the team he joined as a youngster back in 2012.

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The deal was for ten years, until 2032, and came after Pepelu made 30 appearances in all competitions in a huge breakthrough campaign.

He stayed put and played 47 times in the 2022/23 campaign as Levante looked to make an instant return to the top flight.

They finished third, narrowly missing out on automatic promotion after accruing 72 points from 48 games.

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That meant qualification for the play-offs and after seeing off sixth-placed Albacete over two legs, Levante had to play two games against Alaves.

And they Javier Calleja's side lost out in the most cruel and dramatic circumstances. Following a 0-0 draw in the first leg, Alaves won 1-0 in the second fixture courtesy of an 129th minute penalty scored by Asier Villalibre to ensure they are playing in La Liga next term.

Pepelu will also be playing in the main division, however, after he ended his love-in with Levante by signing for rivals Valencia.

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He joins for a fee of €5 million, penning a five-year contract which contains a release clause of €100 million.

Just over a year ago he was holding up a Levante shirt adorning an infinity symbol but now Pepelu will be donning the white of Los Che under the tutelage of permanent boss Ruben Baraja.

Other notable players to sign "lifetime contracts" include Spain legends Raul and Andres Iniesta, though both did eventually play for other clubs at the end of their careers.

Featured Image Credit: Levante & Valencia

Topics: Valencia, Spain, La Liga

Josh Lawless
Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and WWE. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has covered two WrestleMania events for SPORTbible.

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@joshlawless_

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