Chapter 91: The Sharp-Eyed Madridista
Negotiations with Capdevila and Gamarra went smoothly. At the same time, Burgos and Biagini swiftly entered talks with Atlético Madrid.
Burgos had grown weary of his time at Mallorca. Being overshadowed by a young goalkeeper who had never even been called up to the Argentina national team frustrated him immensely. He was willing to drop down to the Segunda División just to get away. As for Biagini, he missed his time at Atlético. Losing his starting spot at Mallorca made him eager for a change of scenery.
It was common knowledge that Capdevila didn't want to play in the Segunda División. He had already cooperated with Deportivo La Coruña when they pursued him, but the transfer stalled due to financial issues. His performances in the first half of the season weren't particularly impressive, and with Romero excelling at Deportivo, they cooled their interest in him. Under these circumstances, Mallorca—who had recently picked up form—turned their attention to him, and he was more than willing to cooperate.
Gamarra, on the other hand, was the consummate professional. Atlético had managed without him for half a season. A return to South America was complicated—clubs there couldn't afford his wages or transfer fee. A move back to La Liga suited him just fine.
Eventually, Capdevila signed a five-year contract worth $500,000, while Gamarra agreed to a three-year deal worth $600,000. Their wages remained roughly the same as at Atlético, so there were no objections.
A day later, the agreements were finalized, set to take effect once the winter transfer window opened.
After securing these transfers, José didn't rush back to Mallorca. He had another objective to accomplish in Madrid.
He still had $6.5 million in transfer funds. Though he had swapped two players and $2 million for Atlético's duo, the $2 million fee from Stanković's sale balanced out the expense, leaving him in a comfortable financial position.
His next target? Another Madrid club—Real Madrid.