Elche's January pursuit of Marco Moreno hit Eibar brick wall
The Franjiverdes made a late January push for Eibar's key defender Marco Moreno, nearly matching his release clause, but the Basque side refused to weaken their backline.
Elche CF made a determined last-ditch effort to sign Eibar defender Marco Moreno in the January transfer window, but the Basque club stood firm despite substantial financial incentives being offered.
The Eleventh Hour Approach
After losing Diaby to Granada, Elche were desperate to bolster their defensive options and identified Moreno as their primary target. The Franjiverdes weren’t messing about either - they tabled an offer approaching the defender’s €2 million release clause and even threw in a sell-on percentage to sweeten the deal.
But Eibar weren’t having any of it. The Armeros consider the Canarian centre-back a fundamental piece of their promotion puzzle, and flogging him mid-season would’ve left their defence looking proper Bobby Moore (poor).
”Crucial to Our Project”
Eibar’s sporting director César Palacios made their position crystal clear, stating that Moreno “is an important player” who was a strategic summer signing. The club brass felt that losing a defender of his calibre mid-campaign would have seriously damaged their promotion aspirations.
The timing was particularly problematic for Eibar, who would’ve struggled to find an adequate replacement with the transfer window slamming shut. Despite the financial package being rather tempting, the sporting considerations ultimately trumped the potential windfall.
Summer Return?
Interestingly, this saga might not be completely dead and buried. Word is that Elche gaffer Sarabia remains a massive admirer of the defender, and the Franjiverdes could return with another offer when the summer transfer window opens.
The club clearly believe that with more time to negotiate and for Eibar to potentially source a replacement, conditions might be more favorable for all parties involved. Whether they’ll need to increase their financial package or if Eibar’s stance softens remains to be seen.
For now, Marco Moreno continues to be a cornerstone of Eibar’s backline as they push for promotion, while Elche have had to look elsewhere for defensive reinforcements after Diaby’s departure.