‘A joke’: Director admits he thought Southampton deal was impossible

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Girona director Quique Carcel admits he did not expect Southampton midfielder Oriol Romeu to leave the Premier League and join the La Liga newcomers, telling Mundo Deportivo that the deal initially felt ‘unfeasible’ earlier in the summer. 

Now, Girona certainly didn’t sign the former Barcelona man for his goalscoring ability. 

But, on his home debut for the Catalan club, Romeu popped up with the most unexpected of 88^th minute winners against Real Valladolid on Friday. When you consider that he had found the net just 10 times in his previous 387 club appearances, don’t expect Romeu to make a habit of this. 

Romeu’s experience and top-level nous could prove integral, however, to Girona’s hopes of an extended stay amongst the Spanish elite.

After seven years on the South Coast, the long-serving enforcer bid an emotional farewell to the Saints a couple of weeks ago, joining Girona on a free after Southampton agreed let him go despite 10 months remaining on his contract. 

And, as far as Carcel is concerned, this is a classic case of ‘if you don’t ask, you don’t get’.

“I put Oriol on (our list of targets) as a joke,” explains Girona’s sporting director. “Because of the difficulty (involved in signing him). When we spoke with his representative, the thing seemed unfeasible.” 

Oriol Romeu left Southampton to return to La Liga

According to Carcel, it was Girona’s enthusiasm to get the deal done that turned Romeu’s head. 

“The fact that we contacted him from the first day made Oriol think about it. And the player did a lot to be here. That was the key,” he explains.

Manchester City also played a role in proceedings, albeit an inadvertant one. Romeu’s agent, Pere Guardiola, is Pep’s brother. What’s more, the City Football Group acquired nearly 50 per cent of the La Liga outfit during their 2017 takeover of Girona. Thus, giving them access to players that would otherwise have been out of reach.

“It is also important to have Pere Guardiola and Manchester City behind us,” Carcel adds. “Precisely to help these signings to take place.”

Romeu was always going to find game time difficult during the final year of his contract at Southampton anyway, such is the impact Romeo Lavia has made since joining from, yes, Manchester City.