After a week where I watched an interview with the president of the Royal Horticultural Society in the UK – he has a very appropriate name : Keith Weed! – Real Mallorca’s Basque coach Jagoba Arrasate completed a year in charge last Tuesday. To say he’s had a turbulent 12 months would be an understatement, as us Mallorquinistas now wait to see what direction the club heads in this Summer.
We closed the season in 10th place (mid table) which was our American owner’s prime objective. The second half of the season was a train crash as we went from being in a Champions League position before Christmas to almost dropping into a relegation position at the end. There’s no doubt that following a promising start until December, to near abject failure by May, the coach and the hierarchy at the club will have plenty to reflect about over the next few weeks.
Our director of football Pablo Ortells (who went to watch the Spanish Under 21s play in Bratislava, Slovakia this week) has a major problem to solve on his return. Our No. 1 and 2 goalkeepers, Dominik Greif and Leo Roman, have both turned down new contracts at Real Mallorca. Both received offers which were very much lower than they expected. Both goalkeepers are amongst the lowest paid members of the squad and deserve a lot more money as they have been brilliant this past campaign.
On Monday it was announced by Espanyol that their goalkeeper Joan Garcia (the best goalkeeper in La Liga last season) is ready to sign for Barcelona and become their number 1. He will also earn a whopping 10 times more than his present salary, plus bonuses. As you’d expect, Barcelona and Espanyol are not exactly “bosom buddies” and are eternal, bitter rivals. Anybody crossing the divide, i.e. moving from Barcelona to Espanyol, are given short shrift and are called traitors and other words unmentionable in a family newspaper.
Espanyol have told Barcelona there would be no compromise, handshakes or any form of courtesy given to Barcelona, who basically tapped their player up. The player’s agent has been told to take the transfer money (25 million euros) straight to the La Liga HQ in Madrid and deposit the release clause. In other words, Espanyol are unwilling to be part of any friendly dealings with their arch enemies. It’s even been mentioned that Joan Garcia’s family may have to move as many “Budgies” (Espanyol’s nickname) know where they live!
The money Espanyol get will be used to bring in four or more new players and Leo Roman is likely be one of them. Despite him putting in two brilliant performances against Real Madrid and Barcelona last season, Leo’s transfer fee is a derisory 10 million euros. He’s worth at least double that. With the transfer all but complete, that’s the only movement in the market at the moment regarding Real Mallorca.
A long transfer window is expected as Ortells has many issues to address in virtually every position. The club must lighten its payroll and make some significant sales if it wants to make a strong move in the market. It would appear Cyle Larin (who was taken off in the 65th minute playing for Canada on Wednesday) wants to continue playing in La Liga but go out on loan.
Three clubs are evidently interested in his services (God only knows why!). Mallorca are desperate to try and recoup some of the 7.5 million euros plus variables that his signing from Valladolid cost two years ago. Some good news for the club is that Son Moix has just completed a record-breaking season, despite poor attendances for the final match days.
Arrasate’s team attracted 12,298 more spectators to Son Moix than season 2023/24, an increase of 3.6%. The capacity of Son Moix is now 25,800 but we’ve never reached that figure. The highest gate was our first game last season against Real Madrid with 23,239 and the lowest was a Monday night game against Osasuna with 15,491. Season tickets for the new campaign should be going on sale within the next couple of weeks.
PS England’s misguided arrogance saw them lose 1-3 to Senegal on Tuesday night. A lot of these English players are not as good as they’re cracked up to be. The Premier League is the so-called best in the world with the highest-paid players (excluding Saudi Arabia) and they still look bang average when they pull on a Three Lions shirt. Suddenly being a Jock doesn’t seem so bad now, especially as we put four past the mighty Lichtenstein!!
AND FINALLY, a man was walking past a pet shop when he saw a sign in the window which said “Pedigree Netherlands cats for sale.” He didn’t believe they were from the Netherlands so he went in and asked “How Dutch is that moggy in the window?!”