Feyenoord has locked down Mika Mármol on a long-term contract running through June 2030, bringing the Spanish defender to Rotterdam on a free transfer. The 24-year-old centre-back arrives after his deal with UD Las Palmas expired.

From La Masia to the Eredivisie

Mármol’s path to Feyenoord runs through some of Spain’s most storied football institutions. He came up through FC Barcelona’s La Masia academy before establishing himself as a regular starter at UD Las Palmas in La Liga.

Mármol is left-footed, which makes him a particularly valuable commodity at centre-back. Left-footed central defenders are rarer than you’d think in professional football, and managers covet them for the passing angles they provide when playing out from the back.

Why Feyenoord made this move