Analyzing Girona’s Summer 2024 Transfer Business
After an extraordinary campaign that saw them qualify for this year’s UEFA Champions League finishing 3rd in LaLiga, Girona have seen themselves unable to retain their most important players. Nonetheless, with the replacements for these players, they expect to challenge for a consecutive top 4 place this season and look to make a deep run in the Champions League.
In this article, we will be investigating Girona’s summer business position by position. For each position, there will be a ranking in which I put a color for each player considering the level of each player, also taking into account the manager’s system and their role. The ranking will go red for bad, yellow for average, and green for good.
Manager
The manager of the club is Míchel who joined the club in 2021 when they were in the second division. With him, they were promoted to the first division, ended in a mid-table position the following year, and then qualified for the Champions League challenging Real Madrid and Barcelona for the title. With these achievements, it is hard to say that Míchel is not the perfect manager for Girona and the one they need to arrive at the next level.
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Goalkeepers
The two movements the goalkeeper position has seen are loaning out 23-year-old academy product Toni Fuidias to FC Cartagena to gain experience. Also, 29-year-old Pau López is joining the club from Marseille on loan which is an excellent operation as he is a player with experience in Europe and in La Liga, having previously played at Betis.
He is a great player who can give rest to Gazzanniga and also compete in the position. Also, he is a good back-up option with the club playing 3 competitions this season. Remaining at the club are 32-year-old Paulo Gazzanniga who was the starter last season and has proved essential for Míchel, as well as 36-year-old Juan Carlos.
Defenders
Míchel usually plays with a four-at-the-back formation with two ball-playing center-backs. Also, he likes that one of his full-backs stays at the back to keep 3 defenders while the team is in possession to avoid counterattacks. Meanwhile, he likes the other full-back to be able to go inside to offer passing options in the middle and form numerical superiorities with the midfielders..
Center-Backs
Girona have seen Eric García who was crucial leave with the end of his loan spell, and have made one signing to replace him. 25-year-old Ladislav Krejci joined the club for €8 million from Sparta Praga, a player who is less capable on the ball, however, he is an excellent defensive player and is great in the air, something that Girona perhaps lacked with Eric García and Daley Blind. Furthermore, 32-year-old Alexander Callens left the club to join AEK Athens for €300k which is a good operation as he was an aging player who didn’t play.
Remaining at the club there is 34-year-olds Daley Blind and David López who are still great players and offer many solutions for Girona. However, with their age and with their speed and abilities rapidly declining, it is hard to see Girona compete against sides that have excellent 1vs1 players in their attack, especially in the Champions League.
In addition, there is 33-year-old Juanpe, the center-back with the least minutes who perhaps could have left the club to leave space for a younger defender. Nonetheless, he is a player who has been many years at the club and is important in the dressing room. Apart from these players, there is also 22-year-old Alejandro Francés who can play in this position if necessary.
Right-Backs
In the right-back position, Girona have seen Yan Couto leave the club at the end of his loan. To replace him, they have signed 22-year-old Alejandro Francés from Zaragoza for €3.5 million, a player who starts for Santi Denia in the U21 Spanish side and fulfills the role asked by Míchel to perfection and who was ready for the next level.
In addition, remaining at the club is 21-year-old Arnau Martínez who ended up losing protagonism last season and there are doubts about his defensive capabilities. Because of this, he is a player that perhaps should have been loaned out to another club as game time will be scarce for him this season.
Left-Backs
In the left-back position, Girona have 23-year-old Real Madrid academy graduate Miguel Gutiérrez who had an excellent campaign last year and has proved to be one of the best in his position. Also, 34-year-old Daley Blind is a player who can play in this position if necessary, nonetheless, Girona should have signed another player as a backup option for Miguel Gutiérrez.
Midfielders
Míchel usually plays with three central midfielders with one of them as a defensive midfielder able to act as a deep-lying playmaker, while the other two are technical players who are excellent in receiving the ball, turning, and attacking the defensive line.
Defensive Midfielder
Girona have faced a serious departure in this position with 27-year-old Aleix García leaving the club for €18 million, joining Bayer Leverkusen. This is a player Girona should have tried to keep as he was one of their best players last season and was essential to Girona playing how they played. In addition, he is not leaving for a large sum of money.
Apart from him, 23-year-old Ibrahima Kébé has joined Lommel SK on loan in Belgium and 23-year-old Álex Sala has joined Córdoba on a free transfer. Both of these footballers never had game time at the club. Joining the club to replace Aleix García is 33-year-old former player Oriol Romeu on loan from Barcelona who had an excellent campaign 2 years ago. However, last year his performance dropped and that has seen him leave Barcelona, so we will have to see if he can recover his form.
Apart from him, there is 19-year-old Jhon Solís who last season did not have much protagonism with Aleix García. This year with Romeu it is highly unlikely that he will have many minutes too. Due to this, he probably should have been sent on loan to another club to get more minutes.
Central Midfielders
The only players leaving the club in this position is Pablo Torre who is heading back to Barcelona with the end of his loan and 33-year-old Borja García who ended his contract. Joining the club, there is 19-year-old Gabriel Misehouy who has been signed on a free transfer from Ajax’s academy, the question is if he is ready to take the step into professional football.
Also, they have signed 27-year-old Donny Van de Beek from Manchester United for less than €1 million. A player who has not shined since he left Ajax in 2020, however, in Girona he has the perfect environment to show his quality, and if he recovers his form, he can be an excellent player.
Remaining at the club is 25-year-old Iván Martín who had a stellar campaign last year and was crucial for Míchel, as well as 26-year-old Yangel Herrera. In addition, 20-year-old Yaser Asprilla is also a player who could play in this position.
Forwards
Míchel likes that his wingers are effective in 1vs1 situations and capable of generating goal-scoring opportunities for the center forward. Meanwhile, the center forward is usually a player who is in the box ready to score goals from crosses of the wingers or other types of situations.
Right Wingers
In the right-wing position, Girona have seen Savinho leave the club with the end of his loan spell, a player who was crucial last season. Also, 23-year-old Ilyas Chaira and 24-year-old Valery Fernández have gone on loan to Oviedo and Mallorca respectively to gain experience at the highest level. Also, 20-year-old sensation Iker Almena has left the club for €5 million to Al-Qadsiah, a devastating sale as he had started this season stupendously.
To replace them, Bryan Gil has come on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, a player with experience in La Liga and who is exceptional in 1vs1 situations. Also, 20-year-old Yaser Asprilla has been signed for €18 million from Watford, maybe overpriced, nonetheless, he is a player with a lot of talent who could excel in a possession-based side.
Remaining at the club is 26-year-old Viktor Tsygankov who was exceptional last season with Girona and with the other two star forwards in Artem Dovbyk and Savinho he is called upon to have a more important role. Also, there is 32-year-old Portu, a club legend who is available for this role, nonetheless, seeing the competition it will be rare to see him have many minutes and he is a player that could have left due to his aging also.
Left Wingers
In the left-winger position, Girona have sent 19-year-old Joel Roca and 21-year-old Óscar Ureña to leave on loan to Mirandés and Barça B respectively. Also, 21-year-old Gabri Martínez, 22-year-old Arnau Ortiz, and 29-year-old Toni Villa have all left on free transfers, which are good operations as they very rarely played and they were players that needed to leave.
To replace them, 27-year-old Arnaut Danjuma has come in on loan from Villareal, a player who has a lot of speed and is very vertical but there are doubts to his form as he did have limited game time last season and the previous one. Also, Bryan Gil is a player who can play in this position.
Center-Forwards
The reigning top scorer in LaLiga, 27-year-old Artem Dovbyk, has left the club for a large sum of €30 million, however, perhaps they could have sold him for more money. Also, 22-year-old Pau Víctor left the club for less than €3 million joining Barcelona, and 27-year-old Manu Vallejo has left on a free transfer. To replace them, 24-year-old Abel Ruiz has joined the club for €9 million, a great signing coming from winning the gold medal at the Olympics with Spain, nonetheless, he does have a different profile to that of Dovbyk.
Moreover, 25-year-old Bojan Miovski has joined from Aberdeen for less than €5 million, the question is having scored 44 goals in the Scottish League will he be able to go from Scotland to challenging for a top 4 finish in Spain and playing in the Champions League? Nonetheless, Dovbyk also came from the Ukrainian top-flight and ended up scoring 24 goals in the league. Also, remaining at the club is club legend and captain 37-year-old Cristhian Stuani who is always capable of scoring goals.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Girona have an excellent squad, they have replaced well the players that have left the club, nonetheless, I think too many important players have left to think that Girona will land another top-four finish. However, a European qualification should be possible.
This is because their defense still seems vulnerable even with Ladislav Krejci due to their lack of pace especially when faced with counterattacks, which is something they suffered last season against the best teams. In addition, if Romeu is not able to recover his form they will have huge issues as Aleix García’s role was very important in clinching the top-four finish.
Nonetheless, their midfield looks very strong and in attack they have made several signings that will elevate their game, but the losses of Artem Dovbyk and Savinho are a huge blow and they will notice it.
By: Juan Fernandez Valencia / @ScoutLaLiga
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA / Getty Images