Nathan Saliba has expressed his excitement about joining Villarreal and highlighted the quality of the squad after his first day at the club

Villarreal CF officially presented their latest signing, Nathan Saliba, to the media on Wednesday at the José Manuel Llaneza Training Ground press room.

Accompanied by the club’s CEO, Fernando Roig Negueroles, the Canadian midfielder gave his first comments as a Yellow Submarine player. “I’m very happy to join a great club like this. I’m excited about the project and I want to bring my qualities here and improve as a player. We have a great team, with great players and a fantastic coaching staff,” he said.

During the press conference, Saliba admitted that signing for Villarreal CF is a dream come true: “It means a lot to me. Since I started my career, I’ve been working towards an opportunity like this, to join a great club like this one. Playing in the Champions League is a huge dream for every player. It’s something very exciting. I can’t wait to get started. Without a doubt, it’s a major step in my career.”

When describing his qualities, the Canadian midfielder defined himself as an energetic and aggressive player: “I’m here to bring hard work. I like to attack and defend for the team. I’m an aggressive and direct player, both on and off the ball. That’s my main strength. I want to help the team by contributing goals and assists.”

With Saliba’s arrival, Villarreal CF become the first club in Europe’s top five leagues to have three Canadian players in their first-team squad. Before arriving, he revealed that he spoke with fellow Canada internationals Tani Oluwaseyi and Tajon Buchanan: “They told me a lot about the club, the team, the city and the expectations. There’s a great group of players who want to play good football. They spoke very highly of the club. There are also many things I still have to discover here.”

Finally, Villarreal’s new signing praised the quality of the squad after completing his first training session: “My first impressions are good, just as I expected. It’s a fantastic group with a lot of talent. I’m very happy to be here training at the highest level. I haven’t had much time to speak with the coach yet, but I will soon.”

Roig Negueroles: “He is a player for both the present and the future”

As well as accompanying the player during the presentation, Fernando Roig Negueroles welcomed him to the club and thanked him for his commitment to joining Villarreal CF: “He is excited to be here, just as we are excited to have him here. I hope this will be a very successful relationship for both parties and that it will last for many years.”