Gayà starts 15th Valencia season, with only Arias ahead on 16 | OneFootball

José Luis Gayà has begun his 15th season at Valencia, a feat now surpassed only by Ricardo Arias on 16.

According to AS, the captain returned on Thursday for medical tests and to greet new faces including Justin De Haas after a world trip with Hugo Duro and their partners.

Gayà made his senior bow in the Copa del Rey at Llagostera, and now joins Fernando Gómez Colomer and David Albelda on 15 seasons.

Those two, together with Arias, are the club’s all-time top three in appearances.

If friendlies were counted, Albelda would be on 16 seasons, having played two summer matches in 1995 before his official debut in 1997.

Albelda and Gayà shared the pitch in Llagostera, the former’s final season and the latter’s official debut.

Gayà could move into the club’s top four for appearances this season. He ended last season seventh on 408 appearances, within eight of equalling Santiago Cañizares on 416, 16 of Manolo Mestre on 424 and 32 of Miguel Ángel Angulo on 440.

The top three remain distant, with Albelda on 488, Arias on 521 and Fernando Gómez on 556.

Source: AS