After Wednesday’s clarification that Juanfran was actually still a Watford player, on loan at Deportivo, La Voz de Galicia went out of their way to explain the situation a little bit more, and what a potential transfer to Barcelona could mean for the Hornets.
According to the local news outlet, the 28-year-old is indeed on loan at the Spanish club until the end of the season by Watford, but Walter Mazzarri won’t be able to bring him back for next season even if he wanted to.
Deportivo will be forced to buy him for less than €1m when the La Liga campaign closes, which basically makes him their player, and La Voz de Galicia seem to think Deportivo are the ones who would negotiate a potential transfer if Barcelona decide to buy an emergency right-back outside of the transfer window.
However, Watford could benefit even more from Barcelona placing a bid, as the Premier League side would get 30% of any transfer agreed between Deportivo and the buying club.
Furthermore, were a bid to be placed and Deportivo ended up rejecting it, the Spanish side would have to pay Watford 30% of the dismissed fee out of their own pocket.
So, for example, if Barcelona made a €5m offer for Juanfran, Watford would get €1.5m regardless, which would also trigger the release clause and make him a full-time Deportivo defender.
Yet, it would be in Deportivo’s interest to accept a €5m bid, as they don’t exactly have an extra €1.5m lying around right now to just hand over to the Hornets.
It seems this is a win-win for Walter Mazzarri’s side.
As of yet, however, Deportivo are adamant no bid has been made, and the full-back wouldn’t leave for less than €8m, which seems to be a pre-agreed release clause between Deportivo and Juanfran for any future contract the player might sign with them.
It’s complicated, and, as was explained yesterday, the entire transfer rests on this weekend’s results.
