Alemany comments on transfer activity and Rodrigo

Mateu Alemany, Valencia CF’s director general and spokesman, gave an in-depth press conference on Thursday evening to address issues involving the club. One of the pressing matters of the day was the club’s transfer activity, as well as the make-up of the squad for 2019/20.

 A message for the fans

“The team, like always, need the fans. We have an extraordinary dressing room with an amazing level of commitment and atmosphere. I accept that other situations are not good for the fans nor for the team, but my idea is to forget about this and talk about football, because our first game of the season is important.

We have to pick up the three points. We don’t need to ask the fans to help their team. Let’s focus on football and look at the tangibles -the reality. What is there is the players that we have, the team we have, what they have achieved and the joy that they have given us. We intend to give more depth to the squad, we’ve taken a good step forward and we have to win. We are waiting for you at a full Mestalla on Saturday.”

Increased involvement from majority shareholder Peter Lim in transfer decisions

“More than a change of model, it’s a question of the owner becoming more involved in decision making. You can delegate or get involved in the process, but the model hasn’t changed; it’s just a case of him being much more active, and that seems very respectable to me.

I don’t think that the majority shareholder at Valencia CF needs to explain to anybody why he wants to become more involved in his club; it’s natural with the investment that he has made. Looking at the squad that we have, we are happy and I think that the fans are as well. We’ll analyse things on September 2nd and see if our work over the summer has been good or bad, and what team we have. There is still work to be done.

We all want the same thing. We want Valencia CF to have the best team possible and for our fans to be happy and proud, as they were on nights like the Copa del Rey final in Seville.

We’re in good shape now, and we hope to be better still. We need to work hard; there are players who need to be offloaded from the squad, and we need at least one more signing.”

Signings and a possible sale of Rodrigo Moreno.

“There were two signings that took priority: A left back and a central defender. We were able to fill these positions and we all agree that the two players who have come in -with experience of the club- give us a very interesting depth.

The situation with Rodrigo is a strategic one for the club, and exceeds our everyday plans or plans for building the squad. As such, we respect that this is in the hands of the board, the president and the majority shareholder. Should a sale take place, we have to be prepared to replace him, because Rodrigo is a quality, important player. We would have to look for a big player, because our objective is to play in the Champions League.

I am perfectly aware of everything that goes on. There was obviously the possibility of an important transfer, because Valencia CF have a certain economic situation and we haven’t sold franchise players in the past two years. Another thing is whether I participated in the negotiations or not. The negotiations didn’t go anywhere, and there is no offer on the table for Rodrigo.

Rodrigo spoke with  Marcelino and I on Wednesday to tell us that he wanted to join up with the team, because he didn’t want to be out of the squad for Saturday. It was another display of the commitment and attitude he has shown over the past two years that I’ve been here.”

An OK from Alemany and Marcelino on the sale of Rodrigo

“There is something that is evident and that has to be accepted. In the chain of power at a club like Valencia CF, every decision needs the blessing of the board and of the majority shareholder, and there are other decisions that are down to the coaching staff or the director general. Then there are other types of strategic decisions, with figures that go beyond the sporting side, and I understand that these decisions can be taken by the majority shareholder.

What appeared to be an offer, isn’t one anymore. What appeared to be an agreement wasn’t carried out. It’s not my place to explain why the offer isn’t on the table now. Rodrigo is a Valencia CF player.”