Corona: “We are committed to maintaining the core of the squad and the competitiveness of the group”

Miguel Ángel Corona, Valencia CF's sporting director, appeared on Monday at the presentation of Enzo Barrenechea, Maximiliano Caufriez and Germán Valera and analysed the close of the transfer window.

Assessment of the transfer window

I think it has been positive. Our assessment is based on the objectives we set ourselves when we started out in the market. There was a premise and a criteria that we aimed for, which was to maintain the group -or at least the heart of the squad- and we have achieved it. 

The 15 players who played the most last season, we have kept them. It was something that worried us a lot, and the coach too, and we have shored up things that we needed: A natural left-footed winger, we have improved the forward line, we have improved the goalkeeping position… And we have brought in the money we needed. We are happy to have achieved all this without affecting the team's performance, in addition to the renewal of our forward and our coach.

Why the club did not invest more money in signings?

It has not been possible. It is public and expressed by our president that stabilising the club was not going to be a matter of one season; she said it was going to be several. Despite finishing 9th, not only are we not going to earn the forecasted amount for television rights, but we are also going to earn less money than when we finished 16th. We have made efforts to maintain the squad. Keeping those 15 players is a great effort, we are giving continuity to the block that gave us performance last season

The state of play

There are several questions. If Javi Guerra had left, of course we were prepared to respond to that departure in the market. Javi is not among the four who played the most minutes last season: They are Mamardashvili, Mosquera, Pepelu and Hugo Duro. 

His departure did not happen, but Giorgi's did, under different conditions. The negotiation was delayed because in the end, we managed to get him to stay with us. During the market things can happen that can change the decision-making. 

Where are we going? There is a public message from our president of the Board of Directors, it will take several seasons to financially stabilise the club and of course, we will always work to maintain the competitiveness of the team. We must not hide that the performance in the table each year is usually a mirror of the financial limits table; they are usually similar. We have to continue stabilising ourselves to be as high as possible, which is what we all want. 

The objective for the season

We insist, we feel very comfortable and it is the way we must work and focus on each training session and each match to improve every day. We are going to get the 45-50 points to stay in the top flight as soon as possible and from there we are going to focus on growing and improving. Sometimes you can improve in terms of play, scoring goals, avoiding them, moving up the table... We are going to insist on going game by game, in the short term, on getting out of the situation we are in first and trying to get as many points as possible. We want to grow and improve.

Financial restrictions after three years

We know that it is several years, but I am not on the Board of Directors and I cannot tell you if it is two, three, or four years. I do not have the guidelines of the Board of Directors.

Communication with the coach

Communication with the coach is constant, permanent, daily and transparent. I have already explained the circumstances that have occurred.

What is your opinion on the latest signings? Do you think they raise the competitive level of the squad?

We faced the last week of the transfer market with 20 outfield players plus the goalkeepers, which was what we wanted. However, due to how the game is developing and how the team is evolving throughout the summer, Alberto Marí is starting to decrease in terms of possibilities and André Almeida is using the number 10 position a lot.

 We responded to that situation with Alberto's departure, we brought in a midfielder who can provide us with stability in the center of the field and we were left with 20 players again. We loan Cenk, we have losses like Fran Pérez and Sergi Canós, who have already joined, and in order not to have that deficit in the winger position that requires a lot of energy and to be protected against possible losses, we faced the signing of a winger. 

We had Germán Valera's movements under control, last season we saw Real Zaragoza live 7-8 times, plus a few more on television, and we decided to take on his signing because we had that margin. We believe that this signing strengthens us and with it, plus the one from Rioja, we have better wingers than last year.

What do you think of Kempes' words?

I'm not going to assess his words. I'm dedicated to fulfilling a criterion that is to make the Club economically sustainable, reduce the debt and maintain the competitiveness of the squad. I'm working hard on those three objectives and I would love this stability and this group of players.

Could you explain how the Castillejo situation has been resolved?

We have released a statement which, although it has only a few lines, is quite explicit.

How did the signing of Maximiliano Caufriez come about?

We are monitoring several central defenders in the parameters in which we can move. Maximiliano is a player that we have followed in France, we are aware that he can leave and when Cenk reaches an agreement with Valladolid we respond and, in agreement with our staff, we sign him on loan.

Has the Club spent all the money it had available this summer?

We didn't have much margin to increase the cost of the squad and it's a pity and we are noticing it in terms of performance. Two great players like Gayà and Diakhaby are not being able to help since last season. Let it not escape anyone's notice that the loss of your captain affects you, us and all clubs. Sometimes we forget. We started from the criterion of not being able to increase the cost of the squad and we have gone a little too far. This summer we are very close to the limit of our Financial Fair Play, which will be confirmed by LALIGA shortly.

Is the Club working on the renewal of Yarek and Cristhian?

We are having conversations, yes. They are objectives that we set ourselves and there is time ahead of us.

Can you clarify if Stole Dimitrievski had or has a clause of 3 million euros whereby he could leave Valencia CF if Mamardashvili stays?

I can't be talking about Stole's contract or reveal details, but his contract is written. No player in the squad is free at 3 million euros. I find it curious that anyone could imagine that. When Stole signs with Mamardashvili, it's not something he doesn't know. 

There are no premises or commitments, he is happy, he is a hyper-competitive guy, we have been very happy to meet him daily, we have raised the level of the goalkeeping significantly and it is perhaps the best in the top flight. He's happy, he's delighted with the way the coaching staff works, he's tremendously excited and for the first time in many years, he's got competition that's really turning him on when it comes to his work. We are delighted.