Career Crossroads: How Yeremay and Antoñito's choices shaped vastly different paths
A tale of two Spanish prospects whose career decisions last year led one to stardom at Deportivo and the other to a Belgian nightmare before a Cádiz rescue.
Two of Spain’s brightest young talents faced similar crossroads a year ago, but their contrasting decisions have led to remarkably different outcomes in the dog and bone of professional football.
Staying put vs moving on
Last season, both Yeremay Hernández and Antoñito Cordero were lighting up LaLiga Hypermotion with their attacking prowess. When decision time came, Canary Islands-born Yeremay opted to stay loyal to Deportivo de La Coruña, while Jerez native Antoñito Cordero left Málaga after feeling undervalued by their contract renewal offer.
Fast forward twelve months and the contrast couldn’t be starker:
- Yeremay remains the crown jewel of the Galician outfit
- Antoñito is returning to Spain on loan to Cádiz after a disastrous spell in Belgium
The Belgian nightmare
Antoñito’s journey has been nothing short of bizarre. After signing for Premier League giants Newcastle United, a loan move was inevitable given the Champions League calibre squad at St James’ Park. Despite rumors of a move to a more prestigious European club, he landed at Belgian side Westerlo.
The stats tell a devastating story – a mere 102 minutes of playing time across all competitions in four months. Absolute mare.
Riazor’s rising star
Meanwhile, Yeremay has gone from strength to strength under Antonio Hidalgo’s guidance, becoming the attacking linchpin of Deportivo. With 19 starts and 7 goals to his name, he’s established himself as the standard-bearer at Riazor.
Last summer, he penned a contract extension until 2030 with a €40 million release clause – a figure more befitting a Champions League player than one in Spain’s second tier. Deportivo even rejected a €30 million offer from Portuguese side Sporting that would have set a Segunda División transfer record.
What might have been
Interestingly, there was a possibility the two could have reunited at Riazor. With Antoñito’s Belgian exit virtually guaranteed, Spain emerged as his preferred destination. Deportivo were keen on signing him, and Newcastle needed their asset to regain form after six months in the wilderness.
However, their paths won’t cross at Riazor after all, with Antoñito heading to Cádiz instead. In just one year, their respective decisions have completely transformed their sporting lives – a proper chalk and cheese situation.