Player Analysis: Pervis Estupiñán

It has been quite the rapid rise for Pervis Estupiñán. Born in Esmeraldas, Ecuador, Estupiñán joined LDU Quito's academy at the age of 13, and made his professional debut shortly after his 17th birthday. After a breakthrough season that saw him earn a spot in the Best XI of the 2015 Ecuadorian Serie A season and impress in the FIFA U-17 World Cup, he joined Watford on July 29, 2016.

From there, he was loaned to a wide variety of Spanish clubs: joining Granada, Almería, Mallorca, and then Osasuna. It was here in Pamplona that Estupiñán established himself as one of the best left backs in Spain, bombarding down Osasuna's left flank and registering one goal and five assists.

He became a regular under Jagoba Arrasate, dazzling with his tireless energy and desire to win every loose ball. More than that, it was his technical ability and the final product that caught everyone’s eye. With just one year left on his contract, he demanded a transfer away from Watford, who had been relegated to the Championship on the final day of the season.

Villarreal came calling, with the Yellow Submarine in desperate need of a left back following Alberto Moreno's season-ending ACL rupture in preseason. Despite the fact that he had never even made his official debut for the Hornets, Watford earned £15 million for the player they had signed four years ago for pennies. Estupiñán has quickly benched Alfonso Pedraza and Jaume Costa, becoming a regular under Unai Emery.