Monchi ‘to make’ Álex Calatrava his first Espanyol signing | OneFootball

Espanyol are reshaping their squad after a poor second half of the season, and Monchi’s first move could be Álex Calatrava from CD Castellón. The club’s owners and sporting department want a step up in quality despite a tight budget.

According to Esports Cope, there is full agreement with the player and the clubs have opened talks, with Monchi exploring a route to complete the deal without activating the five million release clause. Espanyol are willing to pay that sum, but doing so would delay completion until the first of July and leave room for rivals to intervene.

Calatrava, not an out-and-out striker, registered 14 goals and eight assists this season for Castellón, the Segunda surprise package. His clause was 10 million, but Castellón’s failure to win promotion reduced it to five million.

Interest has come from Osasuna, Celta and Espanyol, with the Catalan club strengthening their position in recent days. Barring a twist, the forward is expected to play at Cornellà next season.

To lower the cost, Espanyol are considering offering loans, with Miguel Rubio or Marcos Fernández among the options. Castellón, however, prefer to collect the full five million to boost their salary cap.

If Castellón accept a loanee as part of the package, the move could be confirmed within hours.

Source: Superdeporte