Pardo defends Leganés transfer policy: 'Time to stand united'
Leganés sporting director Andrés Pardo faces fan criticism over winter transfer window activity but insists the club signed exactly who they wanted.
Facing mounting pressure from supporters after what many consider an underwhelming January transfer window, Leganés sporting director Andrés Pardo has come out swinging in defense of the club’s recruitment strategy.
Winter window activity
The ‘Pepineros’ added just two players to their squad during the January window:
- Dani Rodríguez - Midfield reinforcement who reportedly turned down top-flight offers
- Luis Asué - Forward brought in as an alternative profile to existing options
Meanwhile, Miguel de la Fuente and Benjamin Pauwels headed for the exit door, leaving some fans questioning whether enough was done to bolster a squad struggling to meet pre-season expectations.
”We signed who we wanted”
Pardo was adamant that the club’s transfer activity was deliberate rather than desperate: “We haven’t signed what we could, but what we wanted,” he explained during his press conference.
He revealed Leganés had an agreement with striker Álex Forés that ultimately fell through, but insisted they didn’t want to leave such an important position to deadline day uncertainty. This led to the pivot toward Asué as an alternative solution.
Plea for unity
With criticism coming from the terraces, Pardo made a direct appeal to supporters ahead of Friday’s crucial fixture: “It’s time for everyone to be united and keep rowing together.”
The sporting director highlighted recent improvements, pointing to three victories in their last five matches as evidence the team is finding form after a disappointing first half of the campaign.
Promotion ambitions still alive
While acknowledging the disappointment of fans who expected an immediate return to La Liga following relegation, Pardo urged patience and understanding about the challenges of Spain’s notoriously competitive second division.
“The football ain’t Adam and Eve,” he noted, slipping into London rhyming slang for ‘believe’. “We’re still alive and need to be ambitious, thinking about winning on Friday and then the next one after that.”
Pardo defended the club’s financial commitment, insisting the board has never blocked investment requests. He described Leganés as a “solid project” recognized within Spanish football, even if sporting results haven’t yet matched ambitions this season.