Fran Villalba

Birmingham City On 7 August 2019, Villalba signed a three-year contract with Birmingham City of the English Championship. He made his debut three days later in the starting eleven for a 1–1 draw with Bristol City, came close to scoring from distance, and was the Birmingham Mail man of the match. Although he did not readily adapt to the quicker, more physical style of the English game, He scored his first goal in a young Birmingham team that beat Middlesbrough 2–1 on 6 Octoberanother shot was "somehow kept out ... at point blank range" but according to the Mail, "what earned him his 76th-minute standing ovation was the tireless pressing and harrying that characterised his second period." However, with considerable competition in attacking midfield from Dan Crowley and new arrival Jérémie Bela as well as the emergence of the 16-year-old Jude Bellingham, Villalba dropped down the pecking order and out of the matchday squad. The last of his 17 appearances came in a 3–0 defeat away to Hull City on 21 December. and he joined Almería on 27 January 2020 on loan to the end of the 2019–20 Segunda División season; the deal included an option to purchase. He scored once from five first-team appearances before football in Spain was suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and once from four matches after the resumption, He finished with 18 appearances as Almería failed to secure automatic promotion and then lost to Girona in the play-off semi-final.

Villalba's loan was extended to the end of the 2020–21 season in a deal that retained the option to purchase. He made 30 league appearances as Almería again reached the play-offs and again lost to Girona in the semi-final, and the club chose not to retain his services.

Sporting Gijon He joined another Segunda División club, Sporting Gijón, on 3 August 2021 on loan for the 2021–22 season. His first goal, from a shot that looped up off a defender and over the goalkeeper, opened the scoring in a 2–1 defeat of Leganés on 10 September that extended Sporting's unbeaten start to the season to five matches. By the end of January 2022, he had 28 appearances, mainly as a starter, four goals and four assists, and the club confirmed that it had taken up its option to purchase. Villalba signed a four-year contract to come into force on 1 July, after the expiry of his loan.

Villalba's transfer to Sporting Gijón for an undisclosed fee was finally confirmed on 24 June 2022, but on 16 August, he moved to Segunda División rivals Málaga on loan for the season. The deal included an obligation to purchase if Málaga were promoted. He supplied one goal and two assists from his 34 league appearances, and returned to his parent club at the end of the season after Málaga were relegated.

He found favour with new head coach Miguel Ángel Ramírez, and although an injury in pre-season prevented him establishing himself in the starting eleven, prompting suggestions of a possible departure on loan, although the player stated he wanted to stay. He did stay, managed 31 league appearances (14 starts), and helped his team reach the play-offs, in which they lost to Espanyol in the semi-final. and the transfer was completed on 8 July 2024. He made his debut on 13 July as a second-half substitute in a 1–1 draw at home to Pumas UNAM.

2015–16

2016–17

2017–18

Valencia 2015–16

Birmingham City 2019–20

2019–20

2020–21

Sporting Gijón (loan) 2021–22

2022–23

Málaga (loan) 2022–23

Santos Laguna 2024–25