Wesley reveals Iñigo Martínez sold him on Real Sociedad dream move
Brazilian forward Wesley Gassova opens up about his La Real switch, crediting former teammate Iñigo Martínez for convincing him to join the Basque outfit.
Former Al-Nassr forward Wesley Gassova has revealed how his card-playing mate Iñigo Martínez convinced him to swap Saudi Arabia for San Sebastián in a dream European move.
Martínez’s glowing recommendation
The Brazilian attacker, who made his debut for La Real in the Basque derby against Athletic Club at San Mamés, explained how his former Al-Nassr teammate painted a proper Bobby Dazzler of a picture about life at the txuriurdin club.
“I spoke with Iñigo, who’s a great friend - we were always playing cards together,” Wesley revealed during his official presentation. The defender apparently waxed lyrical about Real Sociedad’s facilities, stadium, and the beauty of the city itself.
Wesley had been eyeing a move to one of Europe’s top leagues for some time, describing it as his “dream” when his agents first floated the possibility of joining La Real.
First impressions and derby debut
The Brazilian has been blown away by the welcome he’s received at his new club:
- Praised the unity of the squad who made him feel “at home from day one”
- Highlighted the quality of the club’s facilities and “beautiful stadium”
- Noted the more dynamic, physical nature of LaLiga compared to Saudi football
His debut came in challenging circumstances during the Basque derby, entering the fray after Brais Méndez’s controversial red card, which Wesley described as “unfair” and “at most a yellow card”.
The forward showed admirable honesty in his self-assessment, admitting he “could have helped the team more” defensively during Athletic’s equaliser.
Fitness focus
New manager Matthias Matarazzo has already indicated Wesley needs time to reach peak fitness - something the player himself acknowledges.
“I’ve noticed the difference in the game here - it’s more dynamic and physical,” Wesley admitted. “I need to work to get into the right physical condition quickly to help the team.”
The Brazilian is already embracing Basque culture, signing off with the phrase “poliki, poliki” (little by little) as he outlined his ambitions to help La Real return to European competition and progress in the Copa del Rey.
Seems like our Brazilian lad is settling in nicely in the north of Spain. Just needs to get those pins in proper shape before he can show us what he’s really made of.