Fulham and Nottingham Forest failed to sign Rayo Vallecano’s Andrei Rațiu in the summer window.
On deadline day, Sport Witness covered a report from Spain explaining that the right-back’s move to Fulham was off because Rayo Vallecano president Raúl Martín Presa wasn’t budging.
Rejects Fulham and Nottingham Forest bids
Saturday’s edition of AS have a short report about the Premier League duo’s late offers for the 28-year-old.
He hardly received approaches until Nottingham Forest tabled €25m bid on August 28th.
Andrei Rațiu has a contract until 2028, and it includes a €25m release clause. The Reds offered the same price but refused to pay the full fee up front. This didn’t please the La Liga side.
Rayo Vallecano’s rejection saw Nottingham Forest end up signing Daniel Muñoz from Crystal Palace.
Fulham then submitted the same amount to sign the player. Raúl Martín Presa rejected it as the London club weren’t activating the clause and wanted to spread the payment.
Counteroffer for Fulham
Online, AS provides more updates on what happened ‘in the final hours of the Rațiu Case’.
Fulham’s €25m offer included payment spread across five instalments. Raúl Martín Presa, on the other hand, requested the full fee up front.
The uncertainty around the Romania international’s future saw the Spanish club line up a few options to replace him. With hardly anytime left to negotiate on deadline day, the Rayo Vallecano president softened his stance and made a counteroffer to Álvaro Arbeloa’s side.
He accepted for the payment over five instalments, provided the fee is €30m and not €25m.
The English club didn’t accept both conditions, and ‘that ended the player’s hopes’.
Rayo Vallecano manager Beñat San José had left the Romania international out of the squad for the clash against Barcelona on Monday. Beñat confirms he’s back in contention to face Racing Santander later today.
“This is football. It’s normal for players who had a great season last year to have offers, and the desire to take the next step in their careers is the most natural thing in the world. That doesn’t mean they aren’t comfortable with us,” he said.
“Andrei wasn’t in optimal condition to play in Barcelona, and we decided that someone else should play there. Andrei is a spectacular professional and is available for selection and even a starting role.”
