Álvaro Fernández reveals Dépor summer move collapsed despite his desire to join
The goalkeeper finally secured his Deportivo switch in January after months of 'working in silence' at Sevilla following a failed summer transfer.
Former Sevilla shot-stopper reveals he had his heart set on a Riazor move months before his winter transfer materialized, citing his relationship with Antonio Hidalgo as a key factor.
Summer deal that never was
Álvaro Fernández has confirmed what many Deportivo supporters suspected - the goalkeeper was keen to join the Galician outfit last summer, but negotiations between Dépor and Sevilla hit the buffers.
“In summer there was an option, there were approaches from Dépor, but an agreement wasn’t reached because there was no understanding with Sevilla,” Fernández explained at his unveiling press conference. “I’ve had to work these months in silence in Sevilla. Now, when I had the opportunity to come, I didn’t think twice.”
The La Rioja-born keeper highlighted his previous relationship with current Deportivo manager Antonio Hidalgo at Huesca as a significant pull factor in his desire to make the switch.
Ready to compete
Despite Germán Parreño’s solid performances between the sticks during the first half of the season, Fernández made it crystal clear he hasn’t come to warm the bench:
- Declared himself match-ready immediately if selected
- Acknowledged the competitive nature of the goalkeeper position
- Praised the warm welcome from his new teammates despite potential rivalry
The new signing described himself as “an agile, quick goalkeeper with personality on the pitch” who’s comfortable playing with his feet and brave in aerial situations - attributes that should fit nicely into Hidalgo’s system.
Bachmann bombshell
In a separate but related development, sporting director Fernando Soriano dropped a right old clanger by revealing that Austrian international Daniel Bachmann has requested to leave the club due to personal reasons.
Bachmann, who arrived in August to replace Helton Leite, suffered a partial tear of his left knee’s external ligament and hasn’t yet made his Deportivo debut. His departure isn’t guaranteed as Watford “has much to say” in the matter, according to Soriano.
If Bachmann stays put, Deportivo will have four goalkeepers on their books following Fernández’s arrival - a proper case of being spoilt for choice in the keeper department.