First team

ÓSCAR ARIAS, “COMPLETELY SATISFIED” WITH WINTER REINFORCEMENTS

01/02/2018
The Director of Football of Sevilla FC defended a Sergio Rico who, "let's not forget, is one of our own, from the academy, a Sevillista who deserves a little credit"

The winter market is closed and Director of Football Óscar Arias took the chance at the presentation of Miguel Layún, Roque Mesa and Sandro to take stock of the new incorporations to the team. "We're quite satisfied with the additions and with the market in general. We had set some objectives with regards to covering positions, once the coach had had enough time to evaluate the team and get a feel of what was needed.  We have made incorporations in those positions with high-level players and covering the specified expectations. We'll see how their performances are but we're naturally completely satisfied. We set ourselves some aims and within them there were different profiles. We are happy with the ones who have come here, they're all wanted players that we've been trying to get for a while".

"We're seeing a version of the side which fits more with what people expect"

Arias even explained that the "shortcomings were not as many as it seemed. The problem that the team had was separate. In the last five games, since Montella took over the team, we're seeing a version of Sevilla FC that fits much more with what we all expect. It does not have as many shortcomings as it seemed, but we're getting it right in taking hold of the game. With the change of coach the model has changed, as well as the needs and the profile of a player. Those needs have been met in this market".

"Layún is where he wants to be and we've brought in players we wanted"

On Sandro's situation, he said: "He comes without a buy clause but we have an agreement to sit down and negotiate to open a way if we want to". On Layún, Arias denied that the club interferred with another transfer at all: "The market is open for everybody. We didn't just become interested. He couldn't come in the summer and now the terms were right. He has already said he is where he wants to be and we have brought in players we wanted".

Despite being disappointed that the club was unable to meet the conditions to sign Batshuayi, he acknowledged "the market is dynamic and up until the last day there is a wide range of possible outcomes. It comes with the normal dynamics. At the end of the day, those who have arrived have arrived. Batshuayi has always been an option for us, to compliment what we already have, but these are situations which sometimes materialise and sometimes do not". 

Regarding possible departures published by the press, for example, Pizarro and Ganso, Arias assured that "there have been teams that have asked about Pizarro, but at no point have we considered it. We haven't put him on the market. We listen to offers, but we are extremely happy with him at the Club and are certain that he will continue being an important player, just as he has been since his arrival". 

"He is being critiqued on the basis of two actions that were unavoidable"

Arias also looked to defend goalkeeper Sergio Rico following the conceded goal on Wednesday in Butarque which saw the Sevilla side tie with Leganés in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals: "Rico is one of our players, he is a home-grown Sevillista and has been at the Club since he was just 9 years old...He deserves credit. In the two situations he was fouled, he is being critiqued on the basis of two actions that were unavoidable, he was fouled. His performance for the rest of the match was great, he is one of the main reasons for the resurgence of the team and we're focussing on two bits of play where the only important thing is that he should have been stronger. I don't know if we are being fair on him, but for us there is neither doubt nor problem, all of us have complete confidence in him".