Sporting de Gijón Prioritizes Continuity for Andrés Cuenca and Andrés Ferrari Amid 2026-2027 Planning

Following a definitive exit from the play-offs, Sporting de Gijón has wasted no time in activating its sporting blueprint for the 2026-2027 season. The club’s sporting commission has identified two primary targets for retention: center-back Andrés Cuenca and forward Andrés Ferrari.

Both players arrived at the club during the winter transfer window. While injuries have limited their actual time on the pitch, the organization views them as critical assets for the future of the project. There is a clear consensus between the sporting direction and head coach Borja Jiménez that both players fit the profile of the squad the club intends to build for the next campaign.

Strategic Priorities Despite Injury Setbacks

The decision to pursue Cuenca and Ferrari comes despite a frustrating stretch of injuries that hampered their initial impact in Gijón. However, the club believes these players would be far more influential in a project starting from scratch rather than as mid-season additions.

For the coaching staff, the potential of these two athletes outweighs the setbacks of the previous few months. The club intends to initiate formal contacts with the players’ representatives in the coming days to outline their intentions, though the two operations will be handled independently due to different contractual complexities.

The Andrés Cuenca Situation: A Three-Way Negotiation

Securing Andrés Cuenca requires navigating a complex ownership transition. While the defender has left a positive impression on the club, his path back to Gijón involves more than just a simple extension.

Reports indicate that a transfer between FC Barcelona and the Italian club Como is already finalized and expected to be executed this summer. Sporting de Gijón will no longer negotiate with Barcelona but must instead reach an agreement with the Italian entity. The club’s current strategy is to explore a new loan arrangement.

Cuenca’s own desire to remain in Gijón is expected to be a significant lever in these negotiations. Despite the injury that stunted his early progression at the club, Sporting believes his recovery will allow him to feature prominently in the remaining matches of the current season, potentially increasing his value and leverage for the next term.

Andrés Ferrari: Recovery and Contractual Hurdles

The situation for 23-year-old Uruguayan striker Andrés Ferrari is equally focused on physical recovery and financial alignment. Ferrari has been sidelined after undergoing surgery for a fibula fracture in his left leg. He was recently spotted at El Molinón still using crutches, though he is scheduled to begin intensive recovery work this week.

Ferrari is currently under contract with the Belgian side Sint-Truidense. For Sporting to retain him, they must resolve two primary issues: his high salary and the terms of his purchase option.

• Purchase Option: Sporting holds a purchase option for the forward valued at two million euros.
• Activation Terms: The clause is mandatory if the club achieves promotion to the Primera División, but remains voluntary if they stay in the second tier.
• Financial Gap: Ferrari’s current wages in Belgium are considered high by Segunda División standards, necessitating a new financial formula if he is to stay.

Despite these hurdles, both Ferrari and the club have expressed a firm desire to remain together. The striker is expected to be fit in time for a hypothetical pre-season, whether that be with Sint-Truidense or Sporting.

The Vision of Borja Jiménez

Coach Borja Jiménez is a key driver in this retention effort. Having worked with both players during their initial integration, Jiménez views them as cornerstones for the “zero-start” project. The goal is to build a cohesive unit where Cuenca provides stability in the back and Ferrari offers a clinical presence in the attack.

The club’s approach suggests a shift toward long-term stability over short-term patchwork, prioritizing players who have already integrated into the club’s culture at Mareo, even if their playing time was limited by medical misfortune.

Key Takeaways for the 2026-2027 Project

As the club moves forward, the focus remains on these two “absolute priorities.” The coming weeks will determine if the financial and contractual gaps can be bridged to keep the Uruguayan and the Spanish defender in Gijón.

The next confirmed checkpoint will be the initiation of formal contacts between Sporting’s directors and the representatives of Cuenca and Ferrari, as well as the respective parent clubs in Italy and Belgium.

Do you consider Sporting should prioritize these two players despite their injury records? Let us know in the comments.