In an unprecedented event in Spanish football, Málaga has presented its 14 signings in a single stroke, 15 if we consider Luis Muñoz as such., which ended his contract last season and renewed until 2022 after some complicated negotiations because the man from Malaga had superior offers economically. In this multi-presentation, led by the sports director Manolo Gaspar, it is worth highlighting the absence of José Joaquín Matos, with the club's permission, for personal reasons.
It should be noted that Malaga, as is logical and normal in these times of current crisis, has not paid a transfer for any of these players. Three arrived free from Numancia (Dani Barrio, Escassi and Iván Calero), another from Standard de Lieja (Orlando Sá), Chavarría from Mallorca and Jairo, after breaking free from Hamburg. Two on loan from Cádiz (Caye Quitana and Matos), one from Sevilla (Juan Soriano), Cristian Rodríguez (Extremadura), Yanis Rahmani (Almería), Josua Mejías (Leganés), Jozabed (Celta) and Joaquín Muñoz (Huesca). The fifteenth ‘signing’ (we put this in quotation marks because it is actually a renewal after the end of his contract) is Luis Muñoz.
These are 'Manolo's men'
Orlando Sá. “When I got the first call that the club was interested in me coming here, I thought it would be a good opportunity. As people have known for a long time that I was not playing because of the injury and the problems I had at Standard. And I thought that I could help the club when I regain my physical form and the club me to get on the right track with the game and the goals. This is a different project because there are many new players and in a club that is being reformulated ”.
Escassi: “When the possibility arose and Manolo called me, I told my agent that I didn't want to know anything about another team. This was my priority. Very excited to return after so many years away from home. I'm from here and the team has welcomed me very well. It is a new project and you have to adapt as soon as possible. I don't like talking about goals. Last year we finished the first round in the playoffs and the second we went down. Go for 50 points “
Dani Barrio: “Atypical summer after relegation with Numancia I am free and when Málaga's option comes out there is no doubt. It is a club that, as people say, is asleep but is going to wake up. Help it become a great team again. Is everything alright. We are in the process of training and putting points in our pockets ”.
IVan Calero: “The interest of the coach to come to this club. It is a very big step forward to come to an institution like Málaga. It is a huge motivation. It is a beautiful and soccer city with many people behind this club. It is a new project. We all have the same motivation. This stadium when full will give a lot of joy. The objective is to achieve salvation and to improve every day. Last year we finished the first round with Numancia in the playoffs and we ended up descending ”.
Cristian Rodriguez: “I am young and what I want is to grow. When this possibility arose I did not think about it. I come from Jerez de la Frontera and the people are just like home. I want to continue growing with this club, We want to make pineapple. I have been integrated into the team. I don't set goals because what I want is to enjoy football ”.
Quintana Cay. “I thought it was the ideal place to come so I told Cádiz, who just wanted to come here. It closed fast because I wanted it to be that way. It is a very similar city ”to both Huelva and Cádiz and they have welcomed my family and me very well. There is a very good group.
Matos: “It is an important challenge for me after that bittersweet year I had with the subject of injury. I am attracted by the challenge ahead. It is a very beautiful city that has it all. It remains to work and that the year will be hard but it will go well. You see a lot of good things. The challenge is 50 points ”,
Jozabed: “My agents tell me about the possibility of coming here and everything went very fast. It took longer than expected due to the limitations of the club. After so many years in the north I needed a bit of south and the ideal place to have a good run. The locker room environment helps, which is very healthy for very humble and hard-working people. I hope a good version of me after a bad year in Girona ”.
Juan Soriano. “I was in preseason with Sevilla and then my representative told me about the option of coming here and I did not hesitate for a moment. It is a big club in Segunda even if it has the situation it has. We are new, but young with a desire to succeed and enthusiasm. We are creating a great group and we want to achieve the goal of permanence and from there, look up ”.
Yanis: “Being called by Málaga is a step forward. Whatever the situation Málaga is in, Málaga is. There wasn't much to think about. I'm adjusting, I'm quite liking it. We are getting to know each other. The Second Division is very difficult. Everything has to take its process and its time. We are on the right way”.
Jairo: “The first call came just after the end of the season. It was Manolo who told me a little about the club's situation and what they could offer me. I always told them that it is an attractive been to play and that I wanted to play in Spain. We agree to talk later. We kept in contact and the option was left open. The negotiation was easy. Happy to be here. A club as big as Málaga has given me their confidence after two bad years. That is why I am firm for two years. People have treated me with great affection and I want to regain my best level and to be important ”.
Pablo Chavarría: “It's a very big club and I was very excited to be able to come. I told my agent to try to solve my separation from Mallorca. It is a very well structured club, like a family and with many young players. I have adapted very well. I come from Argentina, which is hotter and I feel acclimatized. I want to be useful to the team ”.
Mejías: “I was doing the preseason with Leganés and when my 'representative' told me about it, it seemed like an incredible option. Malaga has always been a historic club. The weather is spectacular. There is a beach because I love it. We are making a good group. I hope to play as many minutes as possible ”.
Luis Munoz: “I'm very happy to be on my hometown team, which was what I wanted. I want to pick up the pace and be able to add three at a time and be able to save the category to be able to look up. Having a first-team record and being able to have been captain is something inexplicable when I was a ball boy for a long time. It is a project where everyone is going to fight for the same goal ”.
Joaquin Muñoz: “It's a thorn that I had stuck in. I always played in neighborhood teams in Malaga and when the opportunity arose, I didn't think twice. I come here to add my grain of sand. The group has ambition and there is a good project for everything the club has gone through. We need to get to know each other a little bit, but I think everything is going well. You have to look for the group objectives and get as many points as possible to get the permanence. Joaquín when he is good stretches the field a lot and is very electric ”.