Real Madrid have confirmed that centre-back Jesus Vallejo has joined Granada on a season-long loan.
Vallejo, who joined Real Madrid in 2015, enjoyed an excellent loan spell with Granada in the second half of the 2020/21 season and then signed on for another 12 months, after which he was gleefully welcomed back to the Santiago Bernabeu.
However, he has never been more than a backup option in Madrid. Vallejo played just eight games - a total of 353 minutes - across all competitions in 2021/22 and tumbled even further down the pecking order last season.
Carlo Ancelotti handed Vallejo just four appearances all season for a combined total of 88 minutes and is reported to have informed the 26-year-old that he no longer has a future at the club.
Initial reports suggested Vallejo was prepared to stay at the Bernabeu this season but Real Madrid have now confirmed his return to Granada on a 12-month loan.
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Since joining the club in 2015, Vallejo has managed just 31 appearances for Real Madrid, never managing more in one season than the 12 outings handed to him in 2017/18.
Ancelotti already has four centre-backs at his disposal. Eder Militao, David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger shared the starting spots last season, with new club captain Nacho Fernandez operating as a versatile backup.
Another fringe defender, Alvaro Odriozola, is expected to leave the club this summer as well, having managed just six appearances of his own last season.
A new formation is on the cards for Real Madrid as Ancelotti seeks to maximise the impact of the biggest names in his squad.
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This article was originally published on 90min as Real Madrid confirm departure of defender on season-long La Liga loan.
