Pepelu

Pepelu's current-season form is level with last season (Season 33→33), while his Rating held around 59. His peak season for form remains 2023/24 (Season 62).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2026/27	Valencia · 15th	2	0	0	7	59	33
2025/26	Valencia · 9th	31	2	0	7.01	59	33
2024/25	Valencia · 12th	35	2	2	7.03	72	32
2023/24	Valencia · 9th	37	7	1	7.23	90	62
2022/23	Levante · 3rd	43	1	2	7.15	71	39

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 5 earlier seasons and 3 youth-team spells in the full career.

Spain · international

Side	Apps	G
Spain U21	2	0
Spain U19	3	0
Spain U17	11	1

Career caps & goals — tournament breakdown in the full career.

Scout report

Key starterCentral defender

Pepelu is a 28-year-old central defender at Valencia, rated 58.8 overall by Field Insider's model. An experienced operator, he has been a regular starter this season (65.3% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 3.63 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Pepelu.

On the season, Pepelu graded 31 for current form (age-blind), on 6 clean sheets and 3.629 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's broadly in line with last season (Season 33 → 33). Over the 7 seasons on record his form has held fairly steady, peaking in 2023/24.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 59. At 28 Pepelu is in his prime years, and a market index of 23.4 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Past his 2023/24 peak — the recent trend is downward, so buyers are paying for what's left, not what was.

Peak: 2023/24Trending downBreakout: 2023/24Stepped up 2023/24

58.8

Ratingi

a strong, regular top-tier starter

31.4

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

65.3%

Minutes

a regular starter

3.63

Def. actions / 90

solid defensive volume

Output in context · Valencia finished 9th of 20 · a mid-table side

Apps

3.63

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

3.63 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — solid defensive volume, with 6 clean sheets across 31 appearances. Going forward he chipped in 2 goals and 0 assists — a useful bonus from the back.

Strengths

Availability. On the pitch for 65.3% of available minutes — a dependable presence in the XI.
Defensive volume. 3.63 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — does the unseen work.
Pedigree. Performing in a top-tier setting (team strength 92/100).

Watch points

Few red flags. No obvious weaknesses in the current-season profile — consistency is the next test.

Outlook

Rated 58.8 overall — a strong, regular top-tier starter. Defensively he reads as solid defensive volume (3.63 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Experienced and reliable, but the value curve is easing (1.2× now → 0.9× projected in three years).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %65.3%

Available fixtures38 of 38

Goals / 900.081

Assists / 900

Goal contribution / 900.081

Defensive actions / 903.629

Player flow

Goal involvements2

Cards / 900.161

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~39), then tapers with age. At 28, Pepelu sits on 23.4, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Pepelu's projected Rating — 58.8 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among centre-backs in the La Liga with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals2

Passing

Assists0

Defending

Tackles60

Interceptions20

Blocks10

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards4

Red cards0

Transfer history

€5M total transfer fees · 6 moves

ValenciaJul 2023 – now€ 5M

Levante(back from loan)Jul 2021 – Jul 2023

GGuimaraes(on loan)Sept 2020 – Jul 2021

Tondela(on loan)Jul 2019 – Sept 2020

Levante(back from loan)Jul 2018 – Jul 2019

HHércules(on loan)Aug 2017 – Jul 2018

Levanteuntil Aug 2017

About Pepelu

José Luis García Vayá is a 28-year-old centre-back who plays for Valencia, born on August 11, 1998 in Dénia, standing 185 cm tall. He is from Spain. Valencia currently sit 15th of 20 in the La Liga.

This season

In the current season, Pepelu has made 2 appearances with 0 goals and 0 assists across 178 minutes, averaging a 7 match rating over his last 2 rated games.

Recent matches

August 25, 2026: 0-1 loss at home vs Real Betis (88 minutes, 6.5 rating)
August 22, 2026: 0-0 draw at home vs Celta Vigo (90 minutes, 7.5 rating)

Pepelu's next match is on August 30, 2026, when Valencia face Deportivo La Coruna away in the La Liga.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates Pepelu at 58.8 with a Season form score of 31.4. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

Career

Across 12 recorded seasons, Pepelu has totalled 363 club appearances with 29 goals and 9 assists for 6 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2022/23, with 43 appearances for Levante.

Pepelu's career has also included time at Levante, GGuimaraes, Tondela and HHércules.

On the international stage, Pepelu has represented Spain U21, Spain U19, Spain U17 — 16 caps and 1 goal in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.