It’s fair to say there’s not unison in the Spanish media over Real Betis’ stance on Marc Muniesa. The Stoke City defender is an open Betis target and has himself encouraged the rumours by talking up the prospect, but it’s been reported the Seville club simply can’t afford him.
On Wednesday we covered claims from Seville sport newspaper Estadio Deportivo that Betis were looking at other options, because they can’t match the rather reasonable sounding €3.5m that Stoke City are demanding.
Marca see things differently and headline an article in their Thursday edition: ‘Patience for Muniesa’
The Stoke player is described as a ‘luxury’ reinforcement and the main objective of Betis in this window. Marca say Betis are ‘not willing’ to pay €3.5m for Muniesa, rather than can’t.
The Spanish newspaper claim Muniesa wants to leave Stoke, but the club are putting ‘obstacles’ in his way. That would be ‘obstacles’ like a perfectly reasonable, and probably too low, asking price of €3.5m.
If Betis are just trying to play hard ball, as Marca suggest, then Stoke should tell them where to go.
Alternatively, and perhaps more likely, if it’s a ‘can’t’ pay issue rather than ‘won’t’ pay issue, as reported in Betis’ local media, then the Seville club either need to magically find some more money, find another way, or move on.
A loan could be an option, with Betis then paying up in the summer. Stoke City could be able to use the situation as leverage if they fancy buying any of Betis’ players in the future, with 20 year old Dani Ceballos one of the most highly rated.
