Txema Indias surrounds the questions like one who surrounds a wall. Their responses are, at times, chewy circumlocutions. He gives himself time to think and not step on any corn. Neither did any puddle. Especially now, that a summer transfer market begins that the sports director of Leganés foresee how “long” Y “atypical“Things of a pandemic that, he insists, conditions everything. Also his plans.
But among his entrenched reflections, those with which he does not want to give clues to the enemy, or hinder open operations, some certainties are distinguished. Like that the club will not have the economic potential of last season to sign, but that it will continue to enjoy good financial muscle. Or that it will not be necessary to make sales to reinforce the accounts.
He also insists that he does not see cases of rebellion to look for exits and that he would like to retain some of those loaned, although in most cases it depends on the clubs to which they belong. And all to build a squad that “will go hand in hand” with Garitano and in which the objective will be “that it costs a world to win. Thinking in the long term is a mistake. You have to go game by game“
What will be the goal of the season?
Fight. Compete every match. Be there. Give war. I think that, at the beginning of the season, I don't know if the 22… but 18 teams would tell you to move up… Move up, we've seen it, is difficult and expensive. There are powerful teams and others, surprise … the objective is to make a competitive squad. That it costs a world that they win us. And from there, we will see where the championship puts us. Thinking long term is a mistake. You have to go game by game.
Now will be busy days …
Yes, when you finish the season and you walk without knowing in which category you are going to be, as happened to us, everything comes to you a bit at once. Now we know that we will compete in Second. We are focused on our players and the market.
How is the beginning being?
I don't know if weird, because the last two markets, with the pandemic, have already been like this … it has become commonplace. Everything is slow. Slowly. There are no big investments. Everything slows down a lot.
Well, Eibar is going fast …
Eibar's situation is to sign players who had contracts in their clubs and for whom they have paid transfers or clauses. But I do not think that those cases will alter the Second Market market.
In Leganés, only the departure of Cuéllar and the renewal of Riesgo have been resolved. Is the rest in the air yet?
Inside we have everything very clear … another thing is that we take them out. We go hand in hand with the club and the coach… but the first thing to do is look at our people, those who have been there and we would like them to continue with us. And from there, look askance at the market and try to be aware of situations that may arise … but it is still early. People take it very calmly.
The players who will not continue, do you already know?
It is that there are not many situations of that type. Most of those who do not follow is because they have been loaned.
Rosales, Bua or Bastón are some of those cases… has any decision been made?
Let's see, they are players that have been our property, but since June 30 they will no longer be. They will be free and on the market. They are not situations of our players.
“Number of signings? Right now in all positions we have players, but also surely in all positions we will need. That is where the numbers can go …”
Txema Indias, Leganés sports director
But have you talked to them so they can continue?
No, not right now. I'm not telling you names specifically. This is what I was telling you. Everything is very calm. Market pending. Look, I'm also telling you that players, when they're free like this, like to wait to see what the market thinks. We also do the same. We don't want to make quick and light decisions.
There are two special names: Rubén Pérez and Bustinza. The two also end the contract.
They are players who have the Leganés gene. Bustinza has been six years old, like me. He is a player you know at home. It goes beyond sports, football. For what it brings. It happens to Rubén too … but as we said. They end their contract on June 30. We have informally talked to both of them, but there is nothing definitive.
With any of them do you have the hunch that I could continue?
That thing about having a hunch in the market … from experience I don't like to talk lightly. Because then you get surprises.
Garitano says he would like to keep a good part of the squad …
We are going to fight to keep the block that we created. From there, our idea is to try to improve in the positions where we can improve. But it is that there are two and a half months left on the market. There's still a lot. Advancing something is complicated. It is an open market. You have to be patient. Tranquility. Do not make quick decisions that make us regret it.
Without relegation aid, is it going to be a belt-tightening market?
It is clear that we will not have that help. We are fortunate to have a healthy club. Last year's squad was extensive. By the circumstances. Yes, it will be necessary to adjust, but also perhaps the issue of the number of troops. Not because we want to have less, but because of the health situation. That will allow us to lower the wage bill, but we will maintain some numbers that should give us to fight with the people above.
Squeeze, right then …
Let's see, in the end we will have to adjust yes. Look, Eibar is going to the market in a way that, for example, we cannot go. Eibar, from what I read, I imagine that it will have more economic potential. It is up to us to have more patience. We can't go to the market like that. Also, I think we will be one of the top-middle clubs in terms of budget, although yes, adjustments will have to be made.
Will it be necessary to sell players?
No, no … without naming names, we all have in mind certain clubs that bet very, very hard the year they descended and today, years later, they are paying it. We can keep players you might imagine juicy for sales, but we don't have that obligation or need. A different matter is that a club pays the clause or pays high amounts for a footballer… but I don't see the market like that today. Not because our players don't have that value, but because the economic situation is different. The big ones can pay transfers, but it costs more… and the amounts are not the same as before.
Because of these adjustments, do those who return on loan have more options to stay? Cases like Recio, Kravets …
We are going to value everything. They are our players. They have to go back. And from there we will evaluate in preseason. You also have to see those players what approach they have. Some of those loaned, could have their chance …
For example…
Well look, without going any further, some come from the First Division, as is the case with Recio …
With the vacancy of Rubén Pérez, I may gain weight …
Let's see, today on paper we have a player base. Yes, we have to sign and we want to improve some positions. But the base is good.
“Bustinza and Rubén Pérez have the Leganés gene. It goes beyond sports, football. But they end their contract on June 30. We have spoken informally, but there is nothing definitive.”
Txema Indias, Leganés sports director
In the other, that of the assignments, does Leganés want to stay with Palencia, Miquel, De la Fuente …?
Entering names I do not like in the middle of the market. But some of those situations have given good performance in Leganés, despite the disappointment of not achieving promotion. With those players we were third. We have met some of the loaners personally and professionally. And there are loans that give you the soul as if they were your property. Those names you have cited are the case.
So yes, they would like to retain you …
They are situations that depend on their clubs. They are not ours. You also have to ask them if they would like to stay.
Miguel de la Fuente does terminate the contract after his assignment. It's free…
That's how it is. He came on loan from Valladolid with a clause that generated a lot of controversy. He is free from June 30 to assess his future, yes …
There are no right-backs on the squad right now.
It is a position in which we have had Bustinza and Palencia. They are two vacant slots. We are aware of them and the market, yes.
In As Garitano said that some of his proposals to the club surprised the sports management. What did he say?
They are private conversations. Perhaps you from the outside, without being the coach, see how he is using some players and others … but then he also sees people's actions when he plays and when he does not do it and when it comes to naming names, he may have given some that has surprised. But more or less I think we have a close thought.
How many signings will Leganés need?
It is a complicated question because there are two and a half months left on the market. If a club comes and pays four clauses, then you run out of four players, I see it complicated … Anyway, anything can happen. There are many factors to see. Right now, more or less in all positions we have players, but also surely in all positions we will need. That is where the numbers can go.
It has renewed for three years. Will Txema Indias have more weight in planning?
I have always seen myself with weight within the club. If I say yes, it would seem that when I renewed only one year I had less weight … I don't think so. I have the confidence of the club and the Moreno family. I have always said: if we are right or wrong, we all do it. We do not all agree on all decisions, but we always follow a common line. No, I don't think my renewal will give me more strength, or less.
Will the club be pending the case In Nesyri? They still keep a percentage of their capital gains …
That's more of a question for the clerk who keeps the accounts than it is for me. We already know in the numbers in which we move. I don't know if a case like this will affect us in the signings. I do not know. We work with the numbers that the club and LaLiga have given us. Beyond that, the income that there is, I do not know if they would go for signings or not. With that we work.
Will Silva and Omeruo follow?
We had conversations with them. And we have gone hand in hand. They know the market situation. It is not easy for anyone to arrive with money ahead to sign. You have to be patient. If something comes up, it will be within a line of normality.
Without attempts of rebellion …
Life, when things happen to you, serves as an experience. That helps everything to go better later. We all want to be in the First Division, also the players. Sometimes there are options, but other times the market does not give you that alternative. As much as the player wants. In addition, when you are in Second and you do not get promoted, all of us who are on this boat do not revalue ourselves.
“We spoke with Silva and Omeruo. They know the market situation. It is not easy for anyone to arrive with money ahead to sign. You have to be patient. If something comes up, it will be within a normal line.”
Txema Indias, Leganés sports director
Expect a long market and going to the last minute …
You have to be patient. These are very difficult weeks for us. You make a lot of calls, you are talking to representatives, players … but they are weeks for calm. Sometimes you go home with the feeling that you have not done anything because the days go by and no operations are closed. But it has almost always happened to us. You have to be well positioned to sign well …
So signings in the coming weeks … they are not intuited …
You already know me. I don't like to venture out. But I don't think that from one day to the next … I would be surprised … the market will go smoothly. Let's see how other teams with more potential sign. We are in the wagon of teams that, in Second Division, the players will see appetizing. But to look appetizing you have to wait, because everyone wants to go to First. When those options do not come out, it is when they see Second with different eyes. The goal is to have the squad closed by the end of the market, not by June 30.
Speaking of names, in Cartagena they insist that Leganés has signed an agreement with Carrasquilla.
No, no … I don't know where those rumors come from. We do not have it signed today.
That Girona stay, is it bad for Leganés? It seems to have more structure, for example, than Lightning …
You never know. Look at Rayo, who came with doubts and is the team that has risen on its own merits with a great playoff. I don't think beyond tomorrow. Girona does seem to have the help of a powerful club from behind. But you don't know what can happen. His final stretch has been good this year, but in three quarters of the championship he was almost out … The Second is difficult. We call a lot of favorites, but I don't think there are big differences between templates. All teams have it. Sight. We stayed out for 15 bad minutes in Vallecas.
Speaking of Rayo, Leganés wanted Iraola …
When we were looking for a coach, not just Iraola, many options were looked at. I am a bit funny by those who value that, because a month and a half ago I read that Iraola was questioned in Vallecas and then nobody said that Leganés could have signed him … What I am going to is that a coach per se is not gives you success. Would Leganés or Almería have gone up, to give you another name, if they had signed Iraola? Well, you know … We are results. They are things that remain in the air.