Sevilla's Cordón: 'Maupay deal has left us skint on salary cap'
Sevilla's sporting director Antonio Cordón reveals financial constraints after winter transfer window, with squad salary reductions helping secure Neal Maupay signing.
Sevilla’s sporting director Antonio Cordón has admitted the club pushed their financial limits to the absolute max to bring in striker Neal Maupay during the January window.
Speaking at Maupay’s official presentation as Sevilla’s only winter signing, Cordón provided a candid assessment of the club’s precarious financial situation and their strategy moving forward.
Financial Tightrope
Cordón didn’t mince his words about Sevilla’s financial reality, revealing: “With Maupay we’ve used up our salary limit completely, practically nothing remains, a laughable amount.”
The sporting director explained the complex financial gymnastics required to make the Maupay deal happen:
- La Liga rules allowed them to use only 20% of profits from player sales
- They could reinvest just 50% of outgoing player salaries
- Marcao’s injury (over 4 months) opened up some wiggle room
- Alfon’s loan to Villarreal provided additional flexibility
What’s particularly striking is how Sevilla players have pitched in to help the club’s financial situation, with Cordón revealing many have taken voluntary pay cuts to demonstrate their commitment.
Defensive Woes
With Sevilla currently owning La Liga’s leakiest defence, Cordón addressed the elephant in the room. He emphasized this isn’t just a backline issue but a collective problem requiring a team solution.
“We know this number of goals has to stop,” Cordón acknowledged, while expressing confidence that the situation will improve as injured players return to availability.
Backing for Almeyda
Despite Sevilla’s struggles, Cordón gave manager Matías Almeyda his full backing, describing him as a “born worker” who loses sleep constantly thinking about improvements.
“When we started the project, we knew Matías was the ideal coach for this moment,” Cordón stated, doubling down on the club’s faith in their manager despite recent disappointments, including a painful defeat just days ago.
Long-term Vision
Cordón, only eight months into his role, views the Sevilla project as a long-term rebuild. He referenced previous jobs where he stayed for up to 17 years, suggesting he’s committed to the journey ahead at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán.
He also defended his summer signings, refusing to criticize any players while acknowledging that some, particularly Adams and Nianzou, haven’t yet delivered as expected – with injuries playing a significant part in the latter’s case.
For Sevilla fans hoping for a quick fix, Cordón’s message is clear: this is a marathon, not a sprint. With 48 points still to play for this season, the sporting director remains optimistic they can turn things around.