Bryan Zaragoza's Celta stint cut short as Roma come calling
The Spanish winger ends his loan spell in Galicia to join Roma from parent club Bayern Munich, after an inconsistent six months at Celta Vigo.
The writing was on the wall for Bryan Zaragoza’s time at Celta Vigo, with the tricky Spanish winger now officially departing for Roma in a move that’s been brewing since the weekend.
Loan terminated early
Zaragoza, who joined Celta on loan from Bayern Munich, has had his temporary spell in Galicia cut short as he makes the switch to the Italian capital. The Bavarians and Roma have struck a deal, with Celta receiving a compensation fee for losing their loanee midway through the season.
The 22-year-old apparently learned of Roma’s interest last Friday and promptly informed manager Claudio Giráldez of his desire to swap La Liga for Serie A. Bit of a liberty if you ask me, but that’s modern football for you.
Inconsistent Galician spell
Zaragoza’s time at Celta can best be described as a mixed bag. While he showed flashes of the talent that prompted Bayern to sign him from Granada, consistency was a major issue:
- 26 appearances for Celta
- 1,420 minutes played
- 2 goals scored
- 4 assists provided
To be fair to the lad, his performances had been improving in recent weeks, but it wasn’t enough to convince Celta to splash the cash on making the move permanent.
Purchase option never likely
The reality is that Celta had already decided they wouldn’t be triggering the purchase option in Zaragoza’s loan deal come summer. The financial package required was simply too steep for a player who hadn’t quite delivered the goods as consistently as hoped.
Interestingly, there were also reports that Zaragoza’s playing time would have been limited in the coming months anyway. His loan agreement apparently included appearance-based clauses that could have triggered a mandatory purchase - something Celta were keen to avoid given the cost involved.
The Galician club released an official statement thanking Zaragoza for his contribution and wishing him all the best for his future in the Eternal City. From Balaídos to the Olimpico - not a bad move for a player still finding his feet at the top level.