Although there is only one Spanish BBVA Primera Liga club working to prepare for the new season, that has not ruled out a busy day of activity in the transfer market.
Real Sociedad are currently the only side back at work as the team, which finished last season in an impressive fourth place, prepares for a vital Champions League qualifying tie in August, reports Xinhua .
Qualifying for the group stage of the competition could be worth around $30 million to the Basque side. Thursday saw them seal a deal for left back Jose Angel to return for another season on loan from Roma.
The former Sporting Gijon spent last year with the club and will provide important cover on the left for what looks to be a busy season.
FC Barcelona were also in action, agreeing a deal to extend the contract of Rafinha Alcantara until the end of June 2016. The move is interesting given that Rafinha, who has made one first team appearance for Barca and spent the last season playing for the club’s B-team. Rafinha is the younger brother of Spain Under-21 international Thiago Alcantara, who has so far refused offers of a new deal and could at the moment leave Barca if another club is willing to pay his 18 million Euro buyout clause.
Sevilla, who have sold winger Jesus Navas to Manchester City and who could also sell striker Alvaro Negredo to the same destination, have sealed a one-year loan for defender Nico Pareja from Spartak Moscow. Villarreal have brought in Slovenian international left back Bojan Jokic from Chievo Verona on a four year deal. Jokic replaces Joan Oriel, who recently moved to Osasuna.
Malaga have bought defensive midfielder Bobley Anderson from Wydad Athletic Club Casablanca in an attempt to give depth to a squad which has seen various departures this summer.
It is perhaps not surprising that the majority of these signings are players on either loan deals, free transfers or for low transfer fees. The Spanish government’s revealed on Thursday that the total debt of Spanish football clubs currently stands at over 664 million Euros ($857 million).
This data does not include the four clubs which are the property of their members — FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Osasuna and Athletic Club Bilbao. With Barca, Madrid, and Osasuna all having considerable debts, the total debt is certainly considerably above the figure published by the government.
