One of the more left-field transfer rumours to pop up this summer was Manchester City’s interest in Eibar goalkeeper Asier Riesgo.
The story was the Premier League champions were on the hunt for a third goalkeeper, and City goalkeeping coach Xabier Mancisidor had identified Riesgo as a potential signing.
Mikel Arteta even went to scout the player and the report was a positive one, so much so that Diario Vasco reported a move was close to being sewn up, adding that City were glad to be adding some experience to the squad.
The transfer never happened, though, with City electing to sign Scott Carson instead. Diario Vasco cover the failed move today and explain what stopped Riesgo heading to the Etihad.
The newspaper says the goalkeeper had an agreement in place with City, who approached him when his contract with Eibar expired in June.
They had offered him a one-year deal with the chance to become a goalkeeper coach in the B team after the contract expired.
That was a ‘dream retirement’ for Riesgo, and he even rejected the chance to stay at Eibar to make a move to England.
However, English regulations stopped him in his tracks.
The rules state that clubs can’t have more than 17 foreign players in their squads and City are already at that limit. Thus, Riesgo was prevented from signing, turning their attention to Carson on deadline day instead.
That now leaves Riesgo without a club and dreaming of what may have been in England.
