A project for Puado

Captain and top scorer. Symbol and idol of the fans. Leader in the locker room. Javi Puado is, with Joan García's permission, the standard-bearer of this Espanyol and should also be its future. With his permanence on the verge of success, the club's sporting directors, led by Fran Garagarza, want to definitively secure the striker's renewal. According to La Vanguardia, both parties will meet in the coming days to narrow their positions. However, in these negotiations, which have been ongoing over the past few months, it is key that the club take a step forward and commit to a project with greater investment. Only then will Espanyol be able to retain its star player for the coming seasons.

The Puado soap opera is writing its final chapters. The player's representatives have been in constant contact with Fran Garagarza over the last few months, and now is the time to take the final step in a meeting that will be crucial to retaining him. The player has always prioritized Espanyol and, although he has had offers—the one that most appealed to him was Tottenham—he preferred to wait for the club that has taken him to the elite. On the sporting front, he has become convinced that this is a good place to achieve his sporting goals. Puado wants to have a leading role, surrounded by homegrown players and with a coach who defends the interests of the players and the club. Furthermore, despite the poor investment so far, the player is convinced by the sporting project and the atmosphere in the locker room.

Joan García's clause, higher than explained

However, for the agreement to be real, the club must make a financial commitment to his continued presence. That is, despite being one of the highest-paid players on the roster (his salary is estimated to be around two million, trailing only Pacheco on the salary scale), the player wants a salary commensurate with his status.

In this regard, both Fran Garagarza and Manolo González have recently requested the involvement of Chen Yansheng, the club's owner, who has since disappeared, to finally fulfill his promises. Mao Ye, the club's CEO, announced a capital increase for May last September, the outcome of which is still unknown to anyone at the club. Not knowing how much will be available to plan for next season is a burden for deals like Puado's.

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Meanwhile, in the Sant Adrià offices, there is a firm conviction that Joan García will not leave for less than his release clause and that Garagarza will not give in to anyone who wants to sign the La Liga goalkeeper of choice. The sporting capital that the player from Sallent brings forces the sporting directors to be firm in a deal that, contrary to what has been reported, could be higher than the 30 million release clause if he is an international, something that is also being taken into account. According to this newspaper, there are other clauses in the player's contract that could increase his release price.

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Regardless of what happens with Puado and Joan García, if a sale is needed, Espanyol is considering other options, although one has gained ground in recent months: Omar El Hilali. At 21 years old and after a great season, the L'Hospitalet full-back has received offers from La Liga and the Premier League, although England is where he has the best chance of leaving this summer.