Rodrigo Battaglia is a man in the news. Not only for the very good season he’s been having at Sporting, but also for all the media attention he’s been getting in the past few weeks.
Most of the reasons why the player has been all over the papers are transfer rumours. Clubs from Italy and England are said to be pretty keen on him, and forming a race for the summer market.
One of these clubs would be West Ham United, who reportedly bid €20m for the player during the January window this year.
But the player has other issues in his head before thinking about a West Ham transfer, with the first one being to play Atletico Madrid at the Vicente Calderon this Thursday night.
Asked if he expects the same against the Frenchman, Battaglia said it’s all up to the manager Jorge Jesus: “That does not depend on me. I’m here to do what he says and if he asks me again, like that night, I’ll do it.
“I think it went pretty well. It was very difficult and a great challenge for me, but I am ready to do it again if he asks me to mark Griezmann.”
Battaglia also talked about the man who would negotiate him, which is Bruno de Carvalho. The Sporting president, who’s well known by West Ham fans by now, normally stays on the bench alongside the team and the staff. The midfielder was asked about it, but says it doesn’t bother him.
“No, he doesn’t speak. I almost don’t listen to him during games. He’s on the bench but the speaker is just the manager. He supports and I rarely heard him say anything. He gives us a slap before going out to the pitch and supports us, but nothing more.”
