The Prince of Johor said it in AS: “Lim doesn't want to sell”. Then, What do you want to do with Valencia? Its short-term plan does not imply any radical change in its model or, a priori, in its structure. Anil Murthy, whose departure would be safe if Tunku Ismail arrived, continues today to manage the club and Miguel Ángel Corona, the technical secretariat. Lim has entrusted them to present him with a sports project under three parameters: follow reducing the cost of staff, balance the accounts (he has losses of 26.4 M. that he will have to compensate with sales) and, despite this, make a template (with 'low cost' signings and transfers, although staying with bastions such as Gayà or Soler) to compete for the Europa League.
How do you want to reduce the cost of the staff?
Valencia, last year, went from having a staff of € 162.4M to the current one that, according to the budget (as of June 30), would cost 125.6, although that figure was lowered even more during the summer and its Financial Fair Play limit is € 103.3 M. In this context, the premise of lowering the cost of the workforce passes, beyond the fact that Gameiro Y Mangala They end a contract (high chips) and will not continue, for trying to release those who consume the highest percentage: Cillessen, Guedes Y Maxi, although each one of them with its nuance.
For Maxi (24 years), with a contract until 2024, they will listen to offers, but they would only transfer you if you leave a capital gain (sale of more than € 18M that remains to be amortized from your signing) and another closed-fist market is predicted. Maxi has a Premier profile and a willingness to emigrate, although his numbers are in line with the collective performance: 5 goals.
Cillessen Y Guedes They have a contract until 2023 and 2024 respectively. Of the Dutch, 17.5M remain to be amortized; de Guedes 20M (adding to both of them one of the highest chips in the squad, such as Maxi). Cillessen (31 years old) already wanted to leave it in the summer for the same reason, but no offers came. The Eurocup is seen as a showcase, even so its sale is complicated without accounting losses and no goalkeeper will be signed until his departure is confirmed.
Guedes (24 years old), the most expensive signing in the history of Valencia, who arrived from Lim at Manises airport after paying 40, is also for sale. The Portuguese is not being the benchmark that was expected by Mestalla. But it has quality, potential and Mendes as a representative. What remains to be amortized is in accordance with its current market value and Valencia, inclusive, would consider an assignment with a mandatory purchase option.
The League will give him a 'truce' due to the pandemic
Valencia included in its budget some losses of 26.4 million, which predicted “to compensate with the sale of players” before June 30, 2021. At that amount, the transfer of Kondogbia, which was held in October, although in turn add the 8 million that were budgeted in installments (the 55% that the League allowed) and that will not finally be collected because Mestalla will be empty all season.
However, precisely for the economic consequences of the pandemic, the League communicated to the clubs that it would give them a certain truce, margin, to balance their expenses and income and the estimate made in Valencia is that before June 30 “only” they will have to compensate with sales of about 10 million. Also, from the club, Lim is expected to extend (part or all) the return of the 54.5 million that are owed due on July 15, a short-term debt that, if confirmed, would go long.
Valencia, even so, will reduce its ordinary income the year that comes in different sections: for not competing in Europe, for the position in which it will finish in the League (television rights), for box office income, because it is Surely if the public returns in September it will be in a staggered manner and because it will lose its main sponsor due to the law that limits the advertising of sportsbooks.
Low-cost additions and a reduced staff
The outline of the project that will be presented shortly to Peter Lim, where obviously the situation on the bench will be analyzed, will include both casualties and possible additions. Today neither Murthy nor Corona have the green light to negotiate for any player. Just collect information. The premise will be the same as those of the last winter market, that is, incorporations at low cost and prioritizing assignments with a purchase option. The objective that will be set from the beginning of the year is to return to European competitions (not the Champions League, of course) after two years out of them and for this, unlike last summer, the team will be strengthened in those positions that are orphaned, though the block will be based on the pillars of the current staff, cases of Gayà, Carlos Soler, Wass or Gabriel, and in the growth that players such as Uros Racic or Thierry Correia may have after another year in the elite. It will be, yes, a squad with a maximum number of 21 or 22 professionals.
Javi Gracia, in Paterna.
Alberto Iranzo.
What will happen to Javi Gracia?
The news, the surprise, would be that he would continue next season on the Mestalla bench. Gracia, although he asked to leave in October and was up to two times on the wire (the nights of the games against Cádiz and Villarreal), will finish the course for two reasons: for the compensation to be paid in case of termination of any of the parties (3 million) and because from the club, without demands or aspirations, the poster of the year of mere transition was put up and with no other commitment than to maintain the category, a mediocre objective and far from the club's history.
Gracia has taken several press conferences remarking that, now, he wants to fulfill his contract (it ends in 2022), but from the club, where the registration of the coach's speech has been taken, he simply goes to discuss the continuity of the Navarrese when the end of the course and It is answered that “everything is negotiable” to the question of whether there is any clause that allows the parties to terminate the relationship in June, which according to revealed Radio Valencia Cadena SER Yes, there are 15 days to communicate one of the two parties its willingness to terminate the contract with an indemnity lower than what Gracia would charge next season.