Minnesota United striker Tani Oluwaseyi’s pinch-me transfer to Villarreal CF in Spain is done, giving the Canadian a chance to play in La Liga and the Champions League.
The Loons announced Friday that they had transferred Oluwaseyi to Villarreal for what the club said was a club-record fee.
The team did not disclose the number, but TSN in Canada reported it to be around $8.5 million. Villareal announced it was a five-year contract through June 2030.
“I’m eternally grateful for my time in Minnesota,” Oluwaseyi said in a statement released by the team. “To the entire club, I want to say thank you. From a 21-year-old kid in a new city with all the aspirations, to a 25-year-old man leaving now, the support has always been immense.”
The move had been expected for a few weeks and represents a huge step up for Oluwaseyi, who has broken out in a big way over the past two years.
Oluwaseyi came off the bench as a sub last Saturday against Real Salt Lake but had not been training with the team as he worked on getting visas sorted out for the move.
“When and if the transfer does happen, I think everyone should be super proud,” Minnesota United Chief Soccer Officer Khaled El-Ahmad said Tuesday. “I know [his] teammates are, and I think the coaches are as well, that we are getting that interest in players, that Minnesota is looked at as a real club in a sense of developing high-level talent.”
He reiterated those sentiments in a statement Friday, saying, “We are incredibly proud of Tani and what this move represents for him and for Minnesota United. This is a historic transfer for our club — one that firmly places us on the global stage. It shows that when players come to MNUFC, commit themselves, and perform, they will have the opportunity to move on to the biggest stages in world football."
