BARCELONA (REUTERS) - Valencia have completed the loan signing of striker Luciano Vietto from Atletico Madrid until the end of the season, with an option to buy the Argentinian when the deal expires, the LaLiga side said in a statement on Thursday (Jan 4).
Vietto, 24, joined Atletico for €20 million (S$32 million) in 2015 following a sensational first season in Spain with Villarreal but failed to adapt to Diego Simeone's side in two separate spells, sandwiched by a loan spell at Sevilla last season.
He scored 10 goals and provided five assists for Sevilla but not even Atletico's ban on registering new players until Jan 1 helped him make an impact on his return to Atletico in August.
Vietto made only seven starts in all competitions without scoring for Atletico this season and his departure was precipitated by the twin arrivals of Vitolo and Diego Costa after the club's ban on registering players expired.
At Valencia, Vietto will link up again with coach Marcelino, who got the best out of him at Villarreal, and the forward could make his debut at home to Girona on Saturday as Valencia's top scorer Simone Zaza is suspended.
