VÍCTOR ORTA: "AKOR CAN BRING US PACE, ENERGY AND PLAY WITH HIS BACK TO GOAL"

Víctor Orta spoke at Akor Adams' unveiling. To begin, he spoke about our latest signing and what he can bring: “He is a player we have been following for some time. In his time in Norway and at the beginning in Montpellier he had excellent numbers. Then due to the circumstances of the team, he couldn't maintain that output, but when we saw that he was available on the market we did not hesitate to sign him because he can bring us physicality, speed, play with his back to goal and energy. He is a very complete striker who has already played in a competitive league like the French league, with a lot of marking and intensity. Here he can add and contribute with all those qualities"

On the need to get the striking position right our sporting director commented “With every signing, you have to have pressure because you want them to perform well and go well. Strikers and central defenders are the most difficult positions to sign in the market. Even more so midseason when availability is lower, we have had to do a good job. But we have signed a great talent with which we are all very happy." 

Regarding the next movements, he assured “There is less than a week left, we are awaiting both departures and arrivals. We are active in the market and let's see what this last week can bring. We are open to departures and arrivals if all parties are in agreement and it is the best for everyone. There is still a market and we have open situations." Specifically, regarding Isaac, he was categorical in assuring that “we have no official offer for him. There are rumors and comments, but no offer." 

"We have signed a great talent with which we are all very happy" 

With European football still a possibility our sporting director is remaining grounded: "The aim we have right now is Getafe. It is true that in the last three games, there were moments when the team was very brilliant and others perhaps not so much. We need more consistency, to play a complete game at a higher level, but I am optimistic for the second half of the season. There are new pieces that have been here longer and I'm quite optimistic.” Back to Akor, he spoke of his rapport with his teammates: “He is a good finisher. He even assists with his head, he creates lots of chances for his teammates to get on the end of. He's difficult for opposing center backs to mark because he's not only tall. He is agile and mobile. This is one of the reasons to occupy the area with a player with different characteristics to what we currently have." 

He also spoke about Badé's decision to stay: “Loïc chose the Sevilla project and when such important players are involved, the value is very different. These players have a value I don't know whether to call it off-market. Or directly, in some cases, the release clause. As a club, you have to have responsibility, but these types of players have a very different value than others and their availability is in accordance with what can be agreed with that extra value." 

"Estamos activos en el mercado y a ver qué nos puede deparar esta última semana"

On Iheanacho: "I believe he is evaluating some offers that we have presented to him. There is one week left, and I think the are three offers and it's a matter of the player choosing his best option for the next six months. We all expected a higher performance from him. That has nothing to do with his quality, and there is interest from other teams. I believe he wants to play more, and we'll see what happens until Monday. With Pedro Ortiz, there will be updates soon, in a couple of days. Marcao was playing more at the start of the season but is now playing less. He's a player in the squad, but the market is open until Monday, and we need to be attentive both for incoming and outgoing players."

He also referred to the choice of Akor over Alejandro: "We conduct a technical, economic, suitability, and adaptability evaluation. The decision is made by the sporting director, the president, and the coach. We decided that Akor could contribute more from the start, and that was the decision, laying everything on the table." And on Barco's departure, "There's still a lot of time until Monday. I don't know why, but clubs tend to speed up operations when we see the end of the transfer window approaching."

To conclude, he was asked about the possible continuation of Saúl and Lokonga for next season: "We are in talks with them and their agents. We have aligned intentions, but right now the priority is Getafe, and the future of these players will be determined at the end of May. Still, there is a lot of communication between the players, the club, the coaching staff, and the agents. It could be an option for next season."