Germán Valera Karabinaite (born 16 March 2002) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a right winger for La Liga club Elche CF.

Germán Valera
Personal information
Full name Germán Valera Karabinaite[1]
Date of birth (2002-03-16) 16 March 2002 (age 24)[1]
Place of birth Murcia, Spain[2]
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[2]
Position Winger
Team information
Current team
Elche
Number 11
Youth career
2012–2018 Villarreal
2018–2019 Atlético Madrid
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2021 Atlético Madrid B 23 (6)
2020–2024 Atlético Madrid 1 (0)
2021Tenerife (loan) 17 (2)
2021–2022Real Sociedad B (loan) 20 (1)
2021–2022Real Sociedad (loan) 3 (0)
2022–2023Andorra (loan) 38 (2)
2023–2024Zaragoza (loan) 38 (1)
2024–2025 Valencia 8 (0)
2025Elche (loan) 16 (3)
2025– Elche 36 (4)
International career
2018 Spain U16 6 (1)
2017–2019 Spain U17 21 (4)
2019 Spain U18 2 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 27 May 2026

Club career

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Born in Murcia to a Lithuanian mother,[3] Valera joined Atlético Madrid's youth setup in 2018, from Villarreal CF.[4] Promoted to the reserves for the 2019–20 season, he made his senior debut on 24 August 2019, coming on as second-half substitute in a 2–1 Segunda División B away win against Marino de Luanco.[5]

Valera scored his first senior goal on 13 October 2019, scoring his team's third in a 3–0 home defeat of Coruxo FC.[6] He made his first team – and La Liga – debut the following 4 January, replacing João Félix late into a 2–1 home success over Levante UD.[7]

On 1 February 2021, Valera renewed his contract until 2026 and moved to Segunda División side CD Tenerife on loan for the remainder of the season.[8] On 11 August, he moved to fellow second division side Real Sociedad B on a one-year loan deal.[9]

On 25 August 2022, Valera joined FC Andorra also in the second level, on a one-year loan deal.[10] On 8 August of the following year, he moved to fellow league team Real Zaragoza also in a temporary deal.[11]

On 30 August 2024, Valera signed a four-year contract with Valencia CF in the top tier.[12] The following 3 February, he was loaned to Elche CF in the second tier until the end of the season.[13]

On 3 July 2025, after helping the Franjiverdes to achieve promotion to the first division, Valera signed a permanent two-year deal with the club.[14]

Career statistics

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As of match played on 3 January 2026[15]
Club statistics
Club Season League National Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Atlético Madrid 2019–20 La Liga 100010
Atlético Madrid B 2019–20 Segunda División B 1441[a]0154
2020–21 Segunda División B 9292
Total 236000010246
Tenerife (loan) 2020–21 Segunda División 17200172
Real Sociedad (loan) 2021–22 La Liga 300030
Real Sociedad B (loan) 2021–22 Segunda División 201201
Andorra (loan) 2022–23 Segunda División 38210392
Zaragoza (loan) 2023–24 Segunda División 38110391
Valencia 2024–25 La Liga 8040120
Elche (loan) 2024–25 Segunda División 16300163
Elche 2025–26 La Liga 17300173
Career totals 1811860001018818

International career

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Eligible to play for Spain or Lithuania, Valera is a youth international footballer for the former.[3]

References

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  1. 1 2 "FIFA U-17 World Cup Brazil 2019: List of Players: Spain" (PDF). FIFA. 31 October 2019. p. 22. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 December 2019.
  2. 1 2 "Germán V." La Liga. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  3. 1 2 Zimmermann, Walter (5 April 2020). "Los canteranos de Simeone (VII): Valera, el capitán que provocó la ruptura entre Atlético y Villarreal". Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  4. "La guerra del Villarreal contra el Atlético por el robo del canterano German Valera" [The war of Villarreal against Atlético for the steal of youth prospect German Valera] (in Spanish). El Confidencial. 17 October 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  5. "Un doblete de Sergio Camello bien vale tres puntos" [A Sergio Camello double worths the three points] (in Spanish). Grada 3. 24 August 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  6. "Goleada al Coruxo" [Routing in Coruxo] (in Spanish). Atlético Madrid. 13 October 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  7. "Correa el rey, Oblak el mago" [Correa the king, Oblak the wizard] (in Spanish). Marca. 4 January 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  8. Skale, Alejandro (1 February 2021). "Germán Valera jugará en el Tenerife hasta junio" [Germán Valera will play for Tenerife until June] (in Spanish). Diario AS. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  9. "Acuerdo con la Real Sociedad para la cesión de Germán Valera" [Agreement with Real Sociedad for the loan of Germán Valera] (in Spanish). Atlético Madrid. 11 August 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  10. "Acuerdo con el FC Andorra para la cesión de Germán Valera" [Agreement with FC Andorra for the loan of Germán Valera] (in Spanish). Atlético Madrid. 25 August 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  11. "Acuerdo con el Real Zaragoza para la cesión de Germán Valera" [Agreement with Real Zaragoza for the loan of Germán Valera] (in Spanish). Atlético Madrid. 8 August 2023. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  12. "Comunicado oficial | Germán Valera" [Official announcement | Germán Valera] (in Spanish). Valencia CF. 30 August 2024. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
  13. "OFICIAL | Germán Valera, potencia y calidad para el Elche CF" [OFFICIAL | Germán Valera, power and quality for Elche CF] (in Spanish). Elche CF. 3 February 2025. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
  14. "Germán Valera se incorpora al Elche CF hasta 2027" [Germán Valera joins Elche CF until 2027] (in Spanish). Elche CF. 3 July 2025. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
  15. Germán Valera at Soccerway
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