Goalkeeper Vicente Guaita has hinted at the problems he had at Crystal Palace and the reason he decided to leave for Celta Vigo this summer.
The goalkeeper has been speaking at his revealing in Spain, with his comments covered by Atlántico and Plaza Deportiva.
The 36-year-old joined Celta on a free transfer at the beginning of this month after working to release himself from Selhurst Park.
He had been with the Eagles since a free transfer from Getafe in 2018 and went on to make 154 appearances in all competitions for the club, largely acting as their number one during his time there.
He was a regular again last season, managing 28 appearances in all competitions but found himself out of the picture from March onwards.
He managed just one 90-minute appearance between the 11th of March and the end of the season, either being left out of the squad entirely or sitting on the bench.
It led him to push for a move away this summer, with Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson revealing on the eve of the new season that Guaita had refused to play as he tried to force an exit.
He eventually got his wish, negotiating for the remaining year of his contract to be terminated and join Celta on a free transfer. That’s a move he’s delighted with, hinting at the issues he had at Crystal Palace in his unveiling.
“These past few years I have been more focused on the Premier League. Little by little, we will continue more La Liga,” Atlántico report him saying.
“In the club there were many things that I did not understand and it was better to put an end to it. Here I come to try to play, to add as many minutes as possible. If today the coach trusts in Iván, I will try to work to be a starter.”
“With Celta everything was easy, but we had the problem with my previous team,” Plaza Deportiva add.
“At Crystal Palace, they offered me to extend my contract and be able to earn more money, but one of the things we wanted was to return to Spain, to be a little closer to the family and feel that human warmth, because in other countries they have different customs.”
