Happy ending for Jesús Navas and Sevilla. The captain of the Seville team, who had announced his departure on Thursday at the end of the season, regretted in the early hours of this Saturday, through a letter, that he had not received “any call” from the directors to propose a renewal, but the president , José María Del Nido, rectified and offered him a life contract that Navas finally accepted.
“Not for a second have I hesitated to answer affirmatively to the proposal made by the president of my Sevilla FC. Yes, I want to retire in Nervión. I want to continue playing for my Sevilla. I willingly accept to continue linked to the entity that I am in love with,” wrote the one from Los Palacios on his Instagram account.
Navas also explained that he wants to “continue playing until December in a transition to help the team” and that at that point he will “decide to hang up his boots.” “With the shirt I always dreamed of doing it with, dressed as a Sevilla player,” he explained about his future retirement.
The veteran footballer, 38 years old, also revealed that he will not receive any emoluments next season: “One more thing, these next few months, my last ones as a professional footballer, I will not charge them. The salary agreed upon with the president will be donated to a Foundation. It is my decision and I have communicated it to the club.”
Previously, before Del Nido’s proposal, Navas was dissatisfied with the club. The defender assured on social networks that “there has been no call, none” from the club’s leaders to “propose the continuity” of the footballer with the most games played and the most titles in the history of the entity.
Navas added that after announcing his departure at the end of the season “there was no ‘wait, let’s see'” when they “always” told him “that he could be here as long as he wanted.” “No one has cleared up my doubts. The only thing I wanted was to be able to enjoy an unforgettable last day in Nervión,” he said.
Given the player’s message, the club president, José María Del Nido, appeared at a press conference this Saturday and reacted by offering the player from Los Palacios a “life contract.”
“After reading that he has not signed with anyone and taking into account the tough summer we are going to have ahead, Jesús Navas is a key piece in the project. If I sit with him for a minute we can redirect the situation. To be clear, I offer Jesús Navas a lifetime contract so that he can hang up his boots here and then continue working. He deserves to be here until the day he wants. If he decides to leave, I will respect the decision, but I just hope and wish that he continues. “I know he is having a bad time,” the leader explained to the media.
Del Nido was no less with Sergio Ramos, another illustrious Sevilla player to whom he also offered a life contract. “My idea is exactly the same as with Jesús Navas. Let him remain here as long as he deems appropriate. Just as I was thinking of doing with Navas, we will start conversations with Sergio Ramos so that he continues,” he said of the camero, with a contract until June 30.
Instead, the president of Sevilla announced that the team’s current coach, Quique Sánchez Flores, will not continue as of June 30. “Last night we had a conversation. From here I show my gratitude because he has achieved a goal that was complicated. We thank him,” he said of the technician.