First team

AMONGST NEW SIGNINGS, VITOLO TO SIGN CONTRACT EXTENSION

10/07/2017

José Castro: “At Sevilla FC, instead of talking, we have acted and today we sit here with the contract signed for the next five seasons"

Sevilla FC Club President José Castro confirmed during the unveiling of Banega and Pizarro that Victor Machín, Vitolo has renewed his contract. The Canary Islander, who had already signed an extension last summer which tied up his future at the Nervión club until 2020, now commits his future to Sevilla until 2022.

“At this moment we can say that Vitolo is a Sevilla FC player for the next five seasons. A lot has been said about him in recent days, and we have been hearing a lot of speculation about what colour shirt Vitolo will be wearing next season... but he will be wearing the white and red of Sevilla FC. We are delighted to have reached this agreement. Vitolo is one of us, an architect of our title-winning success, one of the club captains and he gives everything on the pitch. We have nothing but praise for him. A lot of people have been talking, while Sevilla FC haven't said a thing. Instead of talking, we have acted and, as of today, Vitolo is a Sevilla FC player for the next five seasons", insisted the President.

Having signed the new contract, Castro affirmed that "Vitolo is extremely happy to continue at Sevilla FC and to be able to keep benefitting from the team to which he has given virtually everything, because here is where he has had success, where he has won trophies, where he has become an international player... And we are equally pleased that he will continue with Sevilla FC"; while avoiding talk of the money involved: "We never talk about those things but, if you keep receiving other offers, obviously your wages are going to increase, as well as your release clause".

"Everything that's been said of Vitolo isn't worth the paper it's written on, his first choice was Sevilla"

Asked by those who had come to the floor to comment on Vitolo's exit from Sevilla FC, the President admitted that there had been "continued movement and talks in the last few days, but we made it clear that whoever wanted to take a key player like Vitolo would have to pay his LaLiga release clause. Everything that's been said isn't worth the paper it's been written on. If Vitolo is a Sevilla FC player for the next five seasons it's because the club wants Vitolo, and for Vitolo, his first choice was Sevilla".

Delving into the relationship with UD Las Palmas, about whom the President was questioned directly José Castro stated: "We are not angry with anybody. We do not talk about rumours, but we sit here with the contract signed for the next five seasons. Because the intention of the player is to be at Sevilla, and this is the intention of the club, that the best players that we have, if possible, do not leave. At this operation, instead of rumourology, each of us works hard on our plot of land. As we have said more than once, we want money on the pitch, to have the best players for our fans to enjoy and to be able to achieve as much as possible. We demonstrate this season after season. We want to have a great team. That's why Sevilla FC sell when we want to sell, when we understand that the moment is right. Nobody can demand that we sell anything. Sevilla FC does not need to sell any player, only if a team were to pay their release clause or offer us the amount we deem necessary to strengthen the squad”.

"Sevilla FC sell when we want to sell. Nobody can demand that we sell anything"

In this way, the club is rewarding the great performances of Vitolo, one of the team captains with whom they have won three UEFA Europa League trophies in his four seasons as a Sevilla player, in which he has accumulated 177 appearances (an average of 44 per campaign), 28 goals and 45 assists.

Open negotiations

On a separate issue, and asked about the situations of Rami and Mariano, the President admitted that "we are considering an offer from Marseille" for the French centre-back; while he confessed that "there is interest from a team for the Brazilian that we are examining, but there is nothing decided at present".