Brentford’s Ecuadorian winger Joel Valencia has completed a loan move to Agrupación Deportiva Alcorcón. The 27-year-old finalised the move to the Spanish second tier side today, Tuesday 18 January, subject to international clearance. He will stay with them until the end of the season.

Joel has been unable to work his way in to the Brentford First Team this season, his third in West London. He joined The Bees from Gliwicki Klub Sportowy Piast Gliwice in the summer of 2019 and played 23 games as Brentford finished third in the Sky Bet Championship in his first year at the Club and lost in the Play-Off Final. He spent last season on loan at Legia Warsaw and has now secured another loan move.

Phil Giles, Brentford FC Director of Football, said: “Joel hasn’t had the opportunity to play for our First Team so far this season. He clearly needs competitive match minutes so this loan opportunity will hopefully give him that playing time. We wish him well during the coming months and look forward to welcoming him back for pre-season when we will review again the next steps for Joel.”

Joel’s first season with The Bees was interrupted by the COVID-19 outbreak but he did make 19 Championship appearances. He scored a memorable goal away at Reading and contributed another assist, with most of his games coming as a substitute. He played once last season, in a Carabao Cup tie against Wycombe Wanderers.

Alcorcón are battling to avoid relegation from the Segunda División. The Madrid based side have climbed the Spanish pyramid over the past decades and have been in the second tier since 2010. They have a home game against CD Mirandés next up as they look to climb away from relegation danger.

Joel scored nine goals in 58 league appearances for Piast Gliwice before moving to West London and played 12 games back on loan in Poland with Legia last season. He was born in Ecuador but moved to Spain at the age of eight and holds a Spanish passport. He played for both countries at youth level and is still eligible for both.

Joel started his career at Real Zaragoza and played in La Liga for them when a teenager. Most of his football was played for Zaragoza B before moving to Atlético Malagueño, the reserve team of Málaga Club de Fútbol, on loan and then on to Unión Deportiva Logroñés in the Spanish lower leagues. He spent 18 months with Football Club Koper in Slovenia before the move to Poland.