VÍCTOR ORTA: "AGOUMÉ IS A MODERN MIDFIELDER, CAPABLE OF PLAYING AS A SIX OR EIGHT"

After the presentation of new signing Lucien Agoumé, sporting director Víctor Orta reviewed the start of the winter transfer window, in which he began by thanking the midfielder for his commitment to making the move: "You have been a man of your word. Your representative Djibril and you gave your word and you have kept it, something that is not easy not only in football, but also in life, and I would like to publicly thank you."

He then discussed options in attack: "We are looking at whether we can bring in a striker, it will take a few days to make this decision. Isaac is a possibility and could even be registered for Tuesday in the Cup. Isaac could move up from the reserves and we may still sign another striker on top of that. We are not ruling it out." As for possible departures, he assured that "there are many rumors but no concrete offers. We are on day ten of the window and, in this market, there is more movement from the 20th to the 30th."

Orta had the following to say on Agoumé taking the number 42: "We must also thank Lucien for having accepted a youth team slot. There are limits when it comes to squad size and we have to try to create space to bring in reinforcements." He also denied that bringing in such young players is a problem: "We are in the process of rejuvenating the squad. With players like Ramos, Navas, Acuña, Ocampos and Rakitic, who are world champions, we have plenty of experience. They will complement these young players, who have ambition, physicality and technical ability. I don't know if age should be a factor when assessing the value of a player. Agoumé had an offer from Marseille and from a Premier League team. Older players may or may not come in, but we already have solid, proven individuals who will blend well with this youth and desire to contribute. It is a strategy that could pay off handsomely."

"The limit on squad size is one we can't avoid so we have to try to create space to make additions."

Now Gudelj has undergone successful surgery, Orta confirmed that a player will not be brought in to replace him: "The operation was a success and we are happy. It was the best outcome we could have hoped for. Agoumé can help fill the void left by his absence and we will not sign a replacement, in part due to the positive result of the operation." In addition, he denied that other signings have been finalised: "I know that the transfer market always produces a lot of speculation and rumours. We are just focused on completing our business effectively and bringing in the right players."

Asked about the characteristics of his new midfielder, Orta commented that "Agoumé is a modern, versatile midfielder. He can play as a six or an eight. He has the legs to get forward but he can also play in front of the defense. He is also highly compatible with the midfielders we already have. He has good short and long ball control. He is physical, aggressive and has space to improve. Hopefully he can do that here and stay longer, as he comes with an option to buy."

He also spoke about those on the injury comeback trail: "Nyland and Lukebakio are still following their recovery programmes. Lamela is getting closer and should be back with the squad soon. I can't give exact timeframes, but we have positive feedback in [Lamela's] case as he's further along in his recovery." To conclude, he referred to Gattoni's situation: "We have been able to talk and exchange opinions. We will speak with his representative and decide what is best for everyone."