When Li Ang returned to the hotel, he had already calmed down and put his thoughts and attention back to work. He was a strong-willed person. Otherwise, he would not have been able to survive in Europe alone for so many years and endure so much hardship.
Banderas called to inform him that a player was considering leaving the team. Li Ang was a little surprised at first, but after thinking about it carefully, his surprise lessened a lot.
The player who had made a clear request for a transfer was the team's striker, David Lago.
Li Ang was not surprised by David Lago's intentions. David Lago had been relatively late in the lineup of Sporting de Gijón's strikers in the previous season's Segunda División. In this season, after the summer's signings, the strength of Sporting de Gijón's forward line was even stronger. Di Natale and Diego Milito were the absolute main force, while Michael Pihra had replaced Benzema and David Lago. The three of them were vying for the substitute position. Michael Pihra was old, but he had a lot of experience and distinctive characteristics. He had a place. Therefore, David Lago's direct competitor was Benzema. Originally, David Lago was confident that he could squeeze out Benzema and get more opportunities to play. However, it was clear that Benzema's growth was very rapid. He was now one of the more eye-catching rising stars in the La Liga. Moreover, David Lago could see that Manager Li Ang appreciated Benzema. Therefore, under such circumstances, David Lago knew that his future at Sporting de Gijón was bleak.
Li Ang was very clear about this, so he was both surprised and felt that it was reasonable for David Lago to suddenly request to leave the team.
David Lago's skills and shooting were average. His biggest feature was his speed. Li Ang was also interested in this feature of David Lago. The team needed a fast horse in the forward line.
However, now that the player was determined to leave and Li Ang really could not promise David Lago more playing time, it was better to part on good terms.
Therefore, Li Ang's instructions to his assistant were that David Lago could leave. Of course, this did not mean that he had to be dealt with cheaply. If there was a suitable offer, he could naturally leave. If there was no suitable offer, David Lago could not leave.
Li Ang's decision was tantamount to giving the player the right to decide. David Lago wanted to leave, and it seemed that he had contact with some teams. Then, it would depend on whether David Lago could persuade the "new owner" to give a price that would satisfy Sporting de Gijón. Li Ang and the club would not set up any obstacles to the transfer, but they could not make a loss... This could be considered as parting on good terms.
*****
Li Ang could accept David Lago's request to leave the team. After all, the player had few opportunities to play in the team and was not very useful. Sporting de Gijón was also about to sign the Italian veteran, Chiesa, to maintain the depth of the lineup in the forward line.
Another player's request to leave the team really caught Li Ang off guard.
The team's center back, Isma, expressed his desire to leave the team. Although he did not show a strong desire to leave, he had already expressed his intention in a more tactful way.
Li Ang did not expect this.
Isma was the team's important substitute player. Currently, Sporting de Gijón's main center back combination was the young Pepe and the veteran Hierro. Isma's appearance order after these two players was Isma. Once Pepe or Hierro had an injury, it would be Isma's opportunity to play.
So far this season, Isma had played 15 times in all competitions. Five of them had been in the starting lineup. This kind of playing time should be considered relatively good.
Isma's ability was average. He did not stand out in any way. He was a relatively ordinary Spanish center back. However, he had played in Segunda División for many years and could be said to have a lot of experience. With such a substitute center back on the bench, Li Ang was more assured. He did not expect the substitute to be outstanding. As long as the substitute center back was stable when needed and did not make any obvious mistakes, he would be a qualified substitute. Based on this requirement, Isma was a qualified substitute center back.
*****
According to Banderas, other La Liga teams had their eyes on Isma. Isma was an important substitute center back for Sporting de Gijón, the biggest dark horse of the season. When he was on the field, he was cautious and conscientious. His performance was relatively stable. In other teams, especially in the middle and lower reaches of La Liga, such a player could definitely do the job of a main center back.
La Liga team, Mallorca, had their eyes on Isma. The team's current situation was very bad. After the seventeenth round of the league, Mallorca was second last in the league and deep in the relegation zone.
The team's current biggest problem was that they had conceded too many goals. In 17 games, they had conceded 28 goals. They were the team that had conceded the most goals in La Liga. Their center back combination, Boris and Cortés, had always been criticized. The media even joked that as long as other teams' forwards played against Mallorca's center backs, their confidence would increase.
Under such circumstances, Mallorca had been looking for a reliable center back who could save them in an emergency. In the end, they locked their eyes on Sporting de Gijón's Isma.
Isma had played in La Liga for many years and had a lot of experience. In the current Sporting de Gijón, he was also an important substitute. In the time that he played as a substitute, his performance was not bad. At the very least, he did not make any low-level mistakes.
From Mallorca's point of view, this was very reliable. An experienced defender rarely made big mistakes. The most important thing was that he was able to fight. This was what they dreamed of.
*****
Li Ang could give the green light to David Lago and allow the player to leave on a transfer.
As for Isma, Li Ang was a little hesitant. A reliable substitute center back was very important to a team. He still wanted to keep Isma. Most importantly, it was the winter transfer window. If he let Isma go at this time, where could he find a reliable substitute center back?!
Therefore, Li Ang's instructions to Banderas were for the coaching staff to communicate with Isma and his agent again. They should try their best to persuade Isma to stay.
Li Ang believed that it was still possible to persuade Isma to stay. After all, Isma was still quite important in the team and had many opportunities to play. Most importantly, Sporting de Gijón's current ranking was very good. They were ranked fourth in the league. This was not something a relegation team like Mallorca could compare to.
Therefore, Li Ang felt that as long as the club tried to persuade him to stay, the possibility of Isma staying was very high.
He really did not have the energy and time to look for a substitute center back in the winter transfer market. The team's current condition was very good. If they could maintain stability, they would try their best not to have surgery.
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