Kumbulla joins Rayo Vallecano on loan from Roma

Marash Kumbulla returns to Spanish football on loan. The 26-year-old central defender from AS Roma will play for Rayo Vallecano until the end of the season, according to Mundo Deportivo.

The Albanian international arrives to bolster a defence that manager Beñat San José needed to reinforce. Kumbulla will form a centre-back partnership with Florian Lejeune, who remains an untouchable piece in the team's setup.

This is not Kumbulla's first stint in Spanish football. Last season he had an excellent spell at Espanyol, where he made 35 appearances and scored 3 goals under Manolo González. He later moved on loan to Mallorca, though his time proved less productive: he featured in just 8 matches before the club suffered relegation.