From China with love: Lluís López joins Albacete to shore up defence
Albacete Balompié bolster their backline with experienced centre-back Lluís López, who returns to Spanish football after a brief Chinese adventure.
Former Espanyol and Zaragoza defender Lluís López returns to Spanish football, signing with Albacete Balompié until 2027 after a short stint in China.
Back to familiar territory
Albacete have moved swiftly to strengthen their defensive options by securing the services of experienced centre-back Lluís López. The 27-year-old Catalan arrives from Chinese outfit Shandong Taishan and has penned a long-term deal keeping him at the Carlos Belmonte until June 2027.
López is no stranger to Spanish second-tier football, having made his name during a substantial spell with Real Zaragoza where he became a proper fans’ favourite. In a bit of a small world scenario, he’ll now share a dressing room with former Zaragoza stalwart Jesús Vallejo at Albacete.
Solid pedigree
The defender’s career has some serious bread and butter to it:
- Came through Espanyol’s academy system, joining as a youngster
- Helped the ‘Pericos’ secure promotion to La Liga
- Tasted European football, featuring in the UEFA Europa League
- Represented Spain at youth international level
- Made 113 appearances for Zaragoza over four seasons
After his formative years at Espanyol and a brief stop at Tenerife, López found his stride at Zaragoza before deciding to test himself in the Chinese Super League last summer.
This signing looks a right Bobby Dazzler for Albacete, who’ve secured a player with both European experience and the battle-hardened qualities needed for the Segunda División dogfight. López’s leadership and defensive nous should provide immediate reinforcement for the Manchegan outfit’s backline.