Valencia has sold winger Fran Garcia to Rayo Vallecano for a fee close to a million euros, the club confirmed on its website on Friday.

Garcia has signed a four-year-deal with the Madrid-based club, which makes its European debut in this season's UEFA Conference League play-off next week.

Garcia is the son of former Valencia director of sport Francisco Perez 'Rufete', and came through the club's youth system.

He made his La Liga debut during Gennaro Gattuso's brief spell as Valencia coach in the 2022-23 season and has played 77 times for the first-team, with many of those appearances coming as a substitute.

Last season, Garcia struggled with a back problem, playing 26 times, but only starting four matches.

In its communique, Valencia wrote that "Fran Perez has defended the Valencia shirt with pride and has been a reference point for the DNA and the values of our youth system."