Chapter 98: The Adjustment Period
"Alright, those two will do," José quickly made his decision, not because he was being hasty, but because he was familiar with these two players. It wasn't a spur-of-the-moment choice.
"What about the defensive midfielder position? Are there any suitable substitutes from the youth team?" José eagerly asked Piri.
"Do you really think the Mallorca youth team is a goldmine? The players you can use have already been picked, but there's a suitable player in the transfer market," Piri smiled and replied. "Marcos Martín De La, originally from Mallorca, played two seasons before transferring to Sevilla. Last season he was with LLeida in the second division, and his contract is almost up. He plays as a defensive midfielder, is 32 years old, and still in good condition. His salary isn't high, and we can easily sign him for a six-month loan. After that, he'll be a free agent. It wouldn't cost much."
"32? Isn't that a bit too old?" José hesitated.
"If he's just a backup, age won't matter much. After all, his demands are low, and he probably just wants to come back for a quiet end to his career. His condition is still quite good, and defensively, I'd say he's even more reliable than Soler," Piri laughed.
"More reliable than Soler?" José was surprised, but he quickly nodded. He knew Piri's insights were much sharper, having been around the La Liga scene for years.
With 19 players already on the team, bringing in three new ones to form a squad of 22 seemed about right, José thought.
"You handle the youth team call-ups, I'll take care of Marcos's transfer," José instructed Piri, who nodded in agreement.
Over the next few days, Mallorca began to make bolder moves.