A market to boast about Espanyol: "It's the year I'm happiest"

BarcelonaEspanyol will close the first transfer window of the Monchi era with two operations completed on the last day of the market: the departure of Rubén Sánchez to Elche and the incorporation of Andoni Gorosabel on loan. A right-back who was not in Manolo's plans leaves and another arrives, from Athletic Club and with a lot of experience in the First Division, to compete with Omar El Hilali for a place in the starting eleven.

The Basque player will become the seventh and, foreseeably, the last incorporation of a market with the undisputed stamp of Monchi, a sporting director who has always been characterized by signing and selling a lot. Sixteen players have left the blue-and-white club and, counting the four who were returning from loan –Marcos Fernández, Rafel Bauza, Javi Hernández, and Roger Hinojo–, there are eleven new faces that Manolo González has in the locker room. The coach is very satisfied with the work of the man from Cadiz.

Monchi, at Manolo's service

Monchi considers himself "a locker room sporting director" and is very close to the footballer and the coach. He is very clear that he is at the service of the coach: Manolo defines the characteristics and Monchi provides names and surnames.

"What I'm saying could turn against me, but it's the year I'm happiest with the squad and the way we work. It's been done collaboratively, everything has been discussed, and players have arrived that the sporting director and coaching staff have agreed upon," the Galician confirmed a few days ago, especially happy with the signings.by Àlex Calatrava, who had been wanted last summer and in previous years for Badalona, and Bryan Zaragoza. These are the profiles Manolo was calling for to try and build a more associative and brave Espanyol with the ball.

With a reduced salary cap and limited resources, Espanyol has not been able to afford another organizing midfielder or a striker to act as Kike García while he is injured. Furthermore, they have only signed one player permanently: Calatrava. However, they have been able to include buy options for Vanja Drkusic, Unai Núñez – the two center-backs, signed to bolster a depleted defense – and Bryan Zaragoza, the summer's big signing.

Without a place at Bayern Munich and in an apparent footballing decline, Bryan is a winger who in his prime would be far beyond the reach of Spanish. An incorporation made inMonchi. The Cádiz native made Sevilla great by discovering unknown talents –"This is now a pipe dream", said to ARA Daniel Pinilla, author ofThe Monchi method–, but also detecting market opportunities, recovering players who were not at their best. Bryan Zaragoza, who could end up staying at Espanyol for an amount close to eight million euros, is a great example.

The arrival at Espanyol of the Andalusian sporting director, one of the most well-connected executives in Spanish football, has also allowed the Periquito club to sit down and negotiate with some of the major European transatlantic clubs: with Bayern Munich, for Bryan Zaragoza, and with Paris Saint-Germain, for Gabriel Moscardo. The young Brazilian midfielder is on loan from the last Champions League winner. The loan of Quilindschy Hartman, a full-back with a market value of 16 million, is explained, on the other hand, by the connection with Burnley, also owned by Alan Pace.

The Garagarza Inheritance

With sporting director Fran Garagarza out for many months, Monchi has had to manage his legacy. He has gotten rid of some of Mutriku's bets – like the case of Miguel Rubio or Pablo Ramón – but has also benefited from the good work done by the Basque, the man who signed Marko Dmitrovic, Urko González, and Roberto Fernández outright, all three crucial for Manolo González.

Garagarza also protected with a 25 million clause Roger Hinojo, Javi Hernández, and Rafel Bauza, who were on loan last season. The first two, debutants in La Liga, have found a place in the starting eleven and have become the great revelations for the periquitos.

Espanyol does not expect any last-minute surprises at the close of the market, beyond formalizing the departure of Rubén Sánchez and the arrival of Gorosabel. The work is already done and it will be the players' performance that will determine if it has been good. "Getting 50% of signings right is an absolute success," Monchi usually says.