OFFICIAL: Paco Alcacer returns to La Liga to join Villarreal for reported €23m

Borussia Dortmund have confirmed the departure of Paco Alcacer to Villarreal for a reported €23 million.

The striker signs a five-and-a-half-year deal with El Submarino Amarillo and joins for a fee of 25 million euros, making him the club's record signing ahead of the 20m euros they paid for Gerard Moreno in 2018.

The 26-year-old could make his debut for Javier Calleja's side in Sunday's match with Osasuna at the Estadio de la Ceramica.

In a swift turn of events, Alcacer makes the move to Villarreal after it had looked like he would replace Rodrigo Moreno at Valencia.

However, Rodrigo's transfer to Barcelona fell through and Alcacer opted to return to LaLiga Santander anyway.

There was plenty of room for him in Calleja's squad too after the January exit of Karl Toko Ekambi to Lyon.

Villarreal have been chasing Alcacer for some time and his Spain teammates Raul Albiol and Santi Cazorla have been persuading him to join the club.

"I've known he could come for some days and I've been speaking to him," Santi Cazorla told Onda Cero.

"He's excited and he's a great player who can give us a lot."