The defense of Deportivo Alavés has been fundamental in the team's successes in recent seasons. Except in the eleven league matches played after the lockdown, in which the team completely sank, the good work of the men behind has always placed the Gasteiztarra team among the least beaten.
This good work does not go unnoticed by the technical secretaries of other groups. In fact, the names of Fernando Pacheco, The guard, Rodrigo Ely or Ruben Duarte, among others, have been stressed in the planning of signings of important clubs.
Until now, except in the case of Maripan, for which the entity from Gasteiz closed the most expensive transfer in its history -AS Monaco paid around 15 million euros for it-, Sergio Fernandez has preferred to keep these players in the Albiazul discipline despite receiving important proposals.
However, the economic crisis caused by the pandemic could well change this idea. “We want to continue counting on the best players to achieve our project”, recently stated the sports director babazorro. However, he also made it clear that “one thing is the needs of the team and another the opportunities that arise in the market.”
If an interesting offer arrives, Alavés will undoubtedly consider closing a transfer that provides oxygen in the form of euros to balance the accounts of this new year, which is “very complicated”, according to the club itself.
Ruben Duarte
The defender, who arrived in Vitoria-Gasteiz from Espanyol in the summer of 2017, is a sought-after player. At the age of 24, he will turn 25 in October, he already has a very important experience in the First Division and is an example of consistency. “He has been in the First Division for more than 300 games,” recalled Albiazul sports director last week.
At Alavés, each season he is on the podium of the three most used footballers and, except for Luis Zubeldia, who preferred to experiment with Alfonso Pedraza As a winger at the start of the 17-18 season, he has convinced all the coaches he has had in Mendizorrotza –Javi Cabello, By Biasi, Abelard and Asier Garitano-.
As revealed by himself Sergio Fernandez, Alavés ruled out an offer for him of eight million euros last summer. In recent times, although for now without concrete offers, several clubs have asked for him. With a contract until June 2023, Alavés have the upper hand when deciding their future.
Meanwhile, the Andalusian continues to recover from the fracture in the little finger of his left foot that he suffered in July, during the game in Valladolid. Although he has started the preseason at a slower pace than the rest of his teammates, it is expected that he can start the competition normally.
Heavy weights
Some of the key men in the Albiazul gear are already beginning to accumulate years and the core of the team needs new blood, players who come to share responsibility and be important as well.
One more campaign, Fernando Pacheco and Victor Laguardia they will continue to be two of the bastions. Rodrigo ElyDespite the fact that its performance has dropped in the last season, it is another sure value in the axis of the rear.
The three, year after year, have aroused the interest of other teams. Sevilla have flirted unsuccessfully in recent summers with the goalkeeper, but without putting enough money on the table to seduce Alavés. The Badajoz, with a good poster also in the Premier League, has a contract until 2023 and a clause of 40 million euros.
The guard, who will turn 31 in November, is called to be one more season the Babazorro Kaiser. He is one of the most regular defenders in LaLiga and in his day, when Marcelino Garcia Toral he was on the bench, Valencia wanted to incorporate him as a central quarter. However, Alavés considered the money offered by the Che entity insufficient. As revealed by himself Sergio Fernandez, the Mestalla entity was also interested in Rodrigo Ely, another Albiazul defender listed on the market.