Sunderland’s approach for Vicente Iborra was widely reported towards the end of the summer transfer window. Whilst Sky Sports said the club’s £7m offer had been accepted by Sevilla, in Spain the story was very different, with Spanish newspaper Marca saying the bid had been knocked back.
An exit for the player always seemed unlikely, and whilst Premier League wages are always tempting, the pull of Sevilla and Champions League football just seemed far more attractive.
Since then Sevilla had been working on a new contract for Iborra and he’s now extended on a better deal until 2020. Estadio Deportivo have covered the press conference given by the player after the signing, and he explained how hard the end of the transfer window was.
Sunderland’s approach seemed to have caused at least some doubt for both Sevilla and Iborra, otherwise the situation wouldn’t have been half as difficult as the player explained: “They were not easy days, it was a very good situation for the club and for me in some ways, but in other respects it was clear what we wanted, obviously it was not easy for both, but in the end we arrived safely (at the decision) and I want to thank the club.
“Sampaoli wanted me to remain part of the project, as well as the gesture to make me captain, Sevilla is not a club, it is a family.”
We think he’s laying it on a bit. It needn’t have been difficult for either Iborra or Sevilla if they’re both as committed to each other as stated, they only needed to say no.
