Madrid, July 16 (IANS) Getafe have strengthened their squad a month before the start of the new 2026/27 La Liga season by signing right-back Andrés García from Aston Villa. The 23-year-old Spaniard joins on loan after making just 18 first-team appearances for the Premier League club, which he joined from Levante in January 2025.

He will help cover the loss of Juan Iglesias, who left on a free transfer at the end of June to join Sevilla.

Announcing the signing, Getafe’s official website described Garcia as a “full back who covers a lot of ground and has his main strengths, his ability to push into attack, his defensive security, and his strength in the air.”

Getafe narrowly missed out on European qualification last season after a strong performance in the second half of the campaign, but the team has lost several key players this summer, including midfielders Luis Milla and Mauro Arambarri, as well as defenders Domingos Duarte and Iglesias, reports Xinhua.

Coincidentally, Garcia made his first-team debut for Levante in January 2023 in a Copa del Rey match against Getafe.

Aston Villa confirmed the decision on its official handle on X, formerly Twitter.

“Aston Villa can confirm that Andrés García has joined Getafe on a season-long loan. The full-back made eight appearances in all competitions for Villa last term, adding to the ten he’d made after signing for the club the previous campaign. A graduate of the youth academy at Levante, Garcia was also part of the Spain Under-21 squad at the 2025 European Championship,” the post said.

The latest decision comes after manager Jose Bordalas agreed a new contract with Getafe after leading the club into European competition last season.

The 64-year-old has signed a two-year deal that will keep him at the club until the end of June 2028, after earlier uncertainty over his future amid difficulties in reaching an agreement with Getafe president Ángel Torres.

In a statement announcing the agreement, Getafe described Bordalas as “one of the most important figures in the recent history of the club.”

Bordalás began his second spell at Getafe in 2023, guiding the team away from the relegation zone. Last season, he led the club to an impressive seventh-place finish in La Liga, securing qualification for the UEFA Conference League despite operating with one of the division’s lowest budgets.

He had previously managed Getafe between 2016 and 2021, first leading the club to promotion from the second division before consistently steering it clear of relegation trouble in subsequent seasons.

–IANS

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