Peter Lim receives criticism after Valencia sell Parejo and Coquelin
Valencia owner Peter Lim is under increasing pressure and criticism from the club’s fans after Dani Parejo and Francis Coquelin were sold to rivals Villarreal.
Lim, who also owns part of Salford City along with members of Manchester United’s ‘Class of 92’ group, bought took ownership of Valencia in 2014 but has overseen a controversial period for the club.
He received criticism a few years ago from Valencia’s city mayor for failing to come through with plans to build a new Mestalla stadium, with plans going back over a decade.
The fans of Los Che have also not taken to him, with a wash of negativity surrounding the club after Lim decided to sack popular head coach Marcelino last September to replace him with the untested Albert Celades, who also eventually lost his job.
Now, he has decided to cash in on club captain Parejo and Coquelin, with the combined fee for the pair thought to be as little as €15m.
Supporters’ group Salvem Nostre Valencia (Let’s Save Our Valencia) have organised a protest outside of the Mestalla following the sales, while club legend Santiago Canizares also questioned the transfers on social media.
Lim’s daughter Kim caused uproar among the Valencia fans previously when she tweeted in a now-deleted post:
“Some Valencia CF fans are scolding and cursing at my family and I. Don’t they get it? The club is ours and we can do anything we want with it … no one can say anything.”
Javi Gracia has been put in charge of the team for the start of the 2020/21 campaign.