Among the players in the Espanyol squad, there is no doubt that Sergi Darder’s intention is to leave the club this summer. Nor in the sports department. The captain, flagship of the entity in the footballing and emotional side, has decided to leave and seek a new adventure with better sporting and economic aspirations. However, the Mallorcan’s intention is for all parties to win with their farewell, something difficult enough.
Sergi Darder’s clause increased on August 1 from 10 to 15 million, a figure difficult for LaLiga teams to accept, but which would surely be negotiated by the club. In any case, this increase represents an added difficulty to a goodbye that for the club and the staff is uncomfortable and unwanted. Several teams have asked about his situation, but he himself has ruled out options that were not good enough, as assured by sporting director Fran Garagarza. “He himself told us, ‘this is not serious for my club’. This is Sergi Darder. Whatever happens must have a high level for everyone”, said the Basque.
Among the most interested are Mallorca, with an insufficient offer, Rafa Benítez’s Celta, who must make exits before opening the door, and Vicente Moreno’s Almeria. The last option is to go abroad, so that a significant return for the club is guaranteed. He would only stay if the market did not present him with any solid and ambitious project.
With just over a week to go before the start of the season, the Darder matter threatens to fester. Every day that passes, and despite the fact that the professionalism and commitment of the player is irreproachable, the nervousness among the players grows. The departure of d’Artà would leave a group that has benefited from its talent in recent years orphaned. And Garagarza’s strategy in the market does not help to generate peace of mind.
Espanyol is the only professional team in Spain that has not incorporated anyone yet. On the contrary, only exits have occurred. In the first week, the goodbyes of the team’s top scorer, Pedrosa and Vilhena, were already confirmed. Plus Braithwaite’s more than likely goodbye. However, Garagarza prefers to wait until the last days of the market to try to seduce important players who a priori do not want to play second and take advantage of the biggest budget in the category, or take the talent that is already in the team to get out of hell on the first try.
