Some defenders arrive in LaLiga with a fanfare and a fat fee. Jose Copete arrived the long way: a youth career that went nowhere special, a loan to the Balearic lower leagues, a free transfer here, another free transfer there. Then, in the summer of 2025, Valencia paid real money for him. That alone makes him worth a closer look. Clubs short on cash don't spend it on centre-backs by accident.
He turns 27 on October 10, 2026, which puts him squarely in the years when a defender should be at his best. So the question for Valencia is simple. Is he a stopgap, or the answer on the left side of their back line?
The file on Copete
| Full name | Jose Manuel Arias Copete |
|---|---|
| Born | October 10, 1999, in Ecija, Seville, Spain |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Height and weight | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in), about 78 kg (172 lbs) |
| Position | Centre-back |
| Stronger foot | Left |
| Club and shirt | Valencia CF, number 3 |
| Contract | Until June 30, 2029 |
| Weekly salary | Estimated at about 20,000 euros |
| Market value | Estimated at 3.6 million to 5.4 million euros |
| FC26 overall rating | 75 |
Ecija, Cordoba, Villarreal: the slow road
Ecija is better known for its summer heat than its footballers. Copete started out locally with Ecija Balompie before joining the Cordoba CF academy in January 2018, and then moved on to Villarreal, one of the best developers of young players in Spain.
Villarreal is where the story could have stalled. He never broke into the first team. Instead he was loaned to SCR Pena Deportiva and got his first proper run in men's football there. That's not glamorous, but for a tall, still raw centre-back it was probably the most useful thing that could have happened.
In 2021 he joined SD Ponferradina as a free agent. A season in the second division gave him steady minutes against grown men who wanted his place. It also made him visible.
Mallorca, where it clicked
RCD Mallorca signed him on a free transfer in the summer of 2022. Over three seasons he made 85 appearances and scored two goals, and he became a fixture in a side that built its identity on being hard to beat.
The 2022/23 campaign, with 28 league appearances, was the one that established him as a genuine top-flight defender. He then played in the 2023/24 Copa del Rey final and the 2024/25 Spanish Super Cup semi-finals. Those are big nights for a club of Mallorca's size, and he looked at home in them.
The numbers support the eye test. Reports from his Mallorca days had him winning around 63% of his aerial duels, which is strong for any centre-back. He also averaged about 25 passes a game at roughly 84% accuracy. That isn't Laporte-level distribution, but for a defender in a side that rarely dominated the ball it's perfectly respectable.
Why Valencia paid
In July 2025, Valencia signed Copete from Mallorca for a reported fee of around 3.6 million euros, with add-ons that could take it close to 4 million. He signed until June 2029.
The logic was easy to follow. Cristhian Mosquera had left, the defence was thin, and Valencia wanted a left-footed centre-back to sit alongside Cesar Tarrega. Copete came with more than 100 senior appearances and a reputation for doing the basics without fuss. It was a squad-building signing, not a statement, and for a club that has to watch every euro that's no criticism.
The first season at Mestalla
When our earlier profile was compiled during 2025/26, Copete had made 21 league appearances for Valencia, about 1,759 minutes, plus three more in the cups. He hadn't scored or assisted, and he had five yellow cards. His average match rating sat around 6.7.
Read those figures honestly and they describe a reliable starter, not a standout. A 6.7 is the mark of a defender who rarely costs you a game and rarely wins one. The bookings suggest he's willing to put a foot in, which is useful and sometimes expensive. He also had an ankle problem in February 2026, following a similar issue in late 2024. Neither kept him out for long, but it's worth watching.
Across his career he has around 125 league appearances with three goals and three assists, plus roughly 18 cup appearances.
Money: what he earns and what he's worth
Clubs don't publish player-by-player wages, so every number here is an estimate. Icon Polls estimates Copete's salary at Valencia at around 1 million euros a year, or about 20,000 euros a week. That's modest by LaLiga standards and some way below the club's top earners, a group that has reportedly been led by Jose Gaya.
Icon Polls estimates his net worth at between $4 million and $6 million, based on earnings across his clubs, his current wage and possible image-rights income. Treat that as a broad range rather than a precise figure. A player whose biggest paydays have come only recently is more likely to sit in the lower half of it.
His estimated transfer value ranges from 3.6 million to 5.4 million euros depending on the source, with some platforms putting him at about 4.6 million. Valencia's fee looks fair on that basis. A long contract and his age help keep the price steady. A stronger season, or interest from a bigger club, would be what pushes it up.
The FC26 card
EA Sports gives him a base 75 overall in FC26 as a Valencia centre-back. He has a 2-star weak foot and 2-star skill moves, and no real face scan yet. His in-game height is listed as 192 cm, slightly taller than the 1.90 m most profiles quote.
At the time of our earlier profile he was trading for around 350 coins in Ultimate Team. Prices move all the time, but he has been a cheap, physical option for budget LaLiga squads. Don't expect pace or flair. Expect headers.
So, is he the answer?
For now, he's a good answer to a specific problem. Copete gives Valencia height, a left foot and a defender who has played in big games without looking out of place. What he hasn't shown yet is the ceiling to become a leader of a top-half back line. He has never been called up by the senior Spain team, and given the depth at centre-back that's unlikely to change soon.
That's fine. Not every signing needs to be a star. Wondering where a dependable defender ranks against the all-time greats? You'll find out quickly. Have your say in our vote on the best football players of all time.
How old is Jose Copete?
He was born on October 10, 1999, so he is 26 and turns 27 on October 10, 2026.
How much did Valencia pay for him?
A reported fee of around 3.6 million euros to Mallorca, with add-ons that could take the total close to 4 million euros.
Which clubs has he played for?
Ecija Balompie, Cordoba CF (youth), Villarreal CF (youth and reserves), SCR Pena Deportiva on loan, SD Ponferradina, RCD Mallorca and Valencia CF.
