The Baggies failed to establish themselves in the top division despite winning the Championship title the season prior and earning promotion back to the Premier League.
Instead, they would finish the 2008–09 season in the lowest spot in the Premier League, which would result in their instant relegation to the lower division.
In fact, they would only win eight league games in the entire season, with three of those victories occurring in the first seven games. Following that, West Brom’s campaign became an arduous, protracted struggle.
Borja Valero was one person at The Hawthorns who did not exactly cover himself in glory at what will have been a trying time for everyone involved.
West Brom’s attempt to sign Borja Valero did not succeed.
The summer of 2008 saw the Baggies add a number of new players following their promotion to the Premier League.
Borja Valero was one of the people that joined the club. The midfield player left La Liga team Mallorca to sign a four-year contract with The Hawthorns.
West Brom reportedly paid £4.7 million to sign the Spaniard, shattering their previous transfer record in the process.
Following that relocation, Valero stayed in Spain for an additional year before joining Fiorentina in 2012 and moving to Italy.
He would play at I Viola for a number of years before moving to Inter Milan in 2017 to play in Serie A.
Valero did make an impression in his time with those two Italian clubs, just as he had in La Liga after leaving West Brom.
| Borja Valero’s Career Stats – As Per Transfermarkt | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Club | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| Real Madrid Castilla | 80 | 5 | 0 |
| Real Madrid | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Mallorca | 78 | 9 | 15 |
| West Brom | 36 | 0 | 3 |
| Villarreal | 97 | 11 | 18 |
| Fiorentina | 231 | 17 | 45 |
| Inter Milan | 100 | 5 | 0 |
Indeed, Valero’s time at West Bromwich Albion was marked by disappointment and underachievement, especially considering his subsequent success at clubs like Villarreal and Fiorentina. Despite his talent and potential, he struggled to make a significant impact during his stint with the Baggies.
The relegation of West Bromwich Albion during the 2008/09 season, in which they narrowly missed survival by just three points, further exacerbated the disappointment surrounding Valero’s time at the club. Fans may understandably question why he couldn’t replicate his success elsewhere and help the team avoid relegation.
Valero’s desire to leave the club following relegation, coupled with his inability to make a significant impact during his time there, likely soured his relationship with the fans. As a result, it’s unlikely that he will ever be viewed as a popular figure among the West Brom faithful again.
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