TRANSFER MARKET
PSV target Mexican defender, César Montes, linked with Almería
The Spanish club offered a transfer fee to Espanyol, but now PSV have proposed a loan with an obligatory purchase clause.
Just as everything looked set to be completed, with Mexican defender César Montes ready to join Almería, Dutch side PSV have moved in to complicate the deal and tempt the centre-back with a new project.
“César Montes is going to Almería”. This was the clear, concise and concrete message from a source close to the deal between the two Spanish clubs, who have been negotiating as the transfer window draws to a close. Sources close to the Catalan club, however, stayed firm and maintained that Almería’s offer for the player was below their asking price.
This proposal, according to those with knowledge of the deal, was €5 million. But now, in a major turn of events only the last remaining hours of the transfer market knows how to throw up, PSV Eindhoven have come in with a new temptation.
PSV offer loan with option to buy for Montes
The Dutch club, who signed Mexican midfielder Héctor Moreno in 2015, are interested in the defender and have presented an offer to Espanyol to take him on. Despite the fact that Espanyol are, in principal, not a club that generally accepts loan offers, the offer from the Netherlands comes with an obligatory purchase clause of €10 million after a one year loan.
PSV are set to play in the Champions League for the 23/24 season, and have been drawn in a group with Sevilla, Arsenal and Lens (here is the full draw), and they have also shown interest in the player before, when he played at Monterrey, who have transfer needs of their own.
How much is Montes worth?
Wherever the Mexican ends up, it certainly won’t be at Espanyol. Almería want to strengthen their defensive line and their cash reserves suggest that it is only a matter of time before an improved offer arrives in the Espanyol inbox; a fee of around €10 million could see things advance over the next hours.
The key to this deal for Espanyol is to make a profit on the player they signed for €8 million in 2023, and PSV’s late entry to the party has complicated what was set to be an ‘easy’ negotiation. The Dutch side have spent big this summer, bringing in Ricardo Pepi, Noa Lang and Jerdi Schouten for a combined total of around €35 million. César Montes would also potentially find playing time a little more difficult, given that their defensive line is covered by three players.