Osasuna Sporting Director Braulio Vazquez has publicly criticised Argentine forward Chimy Avila, after his agents used public pressure to force a move for their client to Real Betis. The deal was done at the end of the deadline, and following a press conference discussing their January transfer window, there was plenty of frustration with Avila.
“I didn’t like it at all and I have told him in person that the agent should not come out and make those statements, I have also told him in private, and now I’m saying it in public.”
“From the club we have moved well, situations have started to arise because we have looked for them, it was not good for us to focus on just one exit route, it makes more sense to have competition.”
Osasuna did create a three-way battle for the Argentine, with Getafe and Granada also pursuing him.
Braulio went on to explain that ‘I think we were good to him, you get frustrated because he was injured and we renewed him, he was doing well and we gave him a wage rise, and at some point the club has to put its foot down.”
He went on to say that retaining Avila was pointless.
“If Chimy were still here in July he would be worth less money, on a mental level he was no longer here. If you’re not there mentally, it’s impossible for you to perform.”
“He is going to score goals with Betis and he is going to do it well for sure.”
Osasuna were demanding €6m for Avila, but eventually got €4m plus €700k in variables and 10% back of Raul Garcia de Haro’s sell-on fee percentage back, valued at €1m – he moved the other way last summer. The rest was made up by Avila and his agents foregoing money to get to the asking price.
