José Gragera is called to star in the last days of the winter market at Sporting. The man from Gijón returned to training normally yesterday while his future is being debated in the offices. The rojiblanco club is in open talks with the Portuguese Sporting de Braga, with a first valuation to close his transfer of around 4 million euros. The negotiation continues while, in parallel, the club prepares to move quickly in the event of having to find a replacement. Sporting gives priority to signing a central defender if Gragera is transferred.
The first idea of Miguel Ángel Ramírez was to be able to count on José Gragera as a center back. A position in which the man from Gijón had already been used by Abelardo, also in a tactical system similar to that used by the Canarian in his first games in charge of the team. Given the scenario that the club is evaluating the player’s departure in this winter market, the need to have a central defender is accentuated if the youth squad ends up packing his bags. The technical secretariat has prepared alternatives to address this situation in a market end in which no scenario is ruled out. In any case, the rojiblanco coach has assured that he does not expect big surprises beyond what happens with Gragera.
The transfer of the midfielder from Gijón not only affects Sporting in the loss of a present and future footballer at an important moment of the season. The response capacity is, in addition to being reduced, complex. The club has a narrow margin to be able to comply with the economic limits imposed by the League if it is forced to face the registration of a new footballer at this time. The volume of the transfer will influence this second step.
Gragera is seen at Sporting de Braga as a bet for the future, rather than as a player who could have an immediate role. The Portuguese club has closed the door, at least so far, to study a transfer of Al-Musrati, the usual starting defensive midfielder, who is followed by several European teams due to his outstanding role in the team. Neither are departures expected in that demarcation, shared with the ex-rojiblanco André Castro or Uros Racic, ex of Valencia, on loan with a purchase option. Waiting for the situation to be defined, Espanyol and some other First Division team are also following Gragera’s situation. Ahead, three days that aim to be intense.
