Girona sporting director Quique Carcel has this evening spoken out over the club’s keenness on a January reunion with Oriol Romeu.
Midfielder Romeu, of course, called time on his stint in the colours of Girona last summer, to link up with La Liga rivals Barcelona.
After an encouraging start to life in Catalunya, however, the 32-year-old has long fallen out of favour under the watch of Xavi, regularly singled out for criticism on the part of the Blaugrana faithful, too.
In turn, it came as little surprise to see speculation spread in the media, that Romeu was in line for a swift January exit.
One such club tipped as a potential landing spot, meanwhile, came in the form of Girona.
Amid a search for reinforcements in the middle of the park to aid the club’s shock ongoing pursuit of the La Liga title, the powers that be at the Estadi Montilivi identified Romeu as a potential low-cost addition.
In the end, however, a deal could not be struck.
And, as alluded to above, late on Friday, Quique Carcel has provided an insight into precisely why.
Speaking to Mundo Deportivo, the Girona chief confirmed that the Blanquivermells were indeed keen on a reunion with Romeu last month.
La Liga regulations, however, ultimately made the move an impossible one to pull off, with no one player allowed to register with the same club twice in a single season.
“From minute one I have always said that Oriol is an important player,” Quique began. “But he is at Barca. If we could, we would have worked for his return, although the regulations made it impossible.”
Conor Laird | GSFN
