Malaga sign defender Ignasi Miquel after Fifa block Sergio Sánchez return

The versatile defender arrives primarily to provide cover for the injured Juankar at left-back

SUR DEPORTES

Friday, 8 December 2017, 12:24

After Malaga's transfer plans were thrown into chaos earlier this week by a Fifa ruling, the club have moved quickly to sign Ignasi Miquel who joins from CD Lugo, signing a four-year contract.

This signing ends Malaga's search for a versatile defender to cover the injury to left-back Juankar who has been ruled out for the rest of the season. Sergio Sánchez, who played for Malaga from 2011 to 2015, was originally earmarked with head coach Míchel announcing that his signing would be completed last week.

However, the defender on loan at Espanyol from Russian side Rubin Kazan, has already played for two sides this campaign and therefore cannot play for a third, according to Fifa rules. An appeal (Sánchez only played 45 minutes for Rubin) was unsuccessful and the Blue and Whites had to look elsewhere for reinforcements.

This summer Miquel, from Barcelona, had renewed his contract with Lugo until 2020. However, Malaga paid 350,000 euros to terminate this contract in order to recruit the Catalan centre-back. The 25-year-old, who played for Arsenal from 2011 to 2014, can also be utilised as a left-back.

Further recruits

In January, a holding midfielder will be the major priority but this will not be a simple operation as the club will most likely have to sell first. As reported by SUR in English last week, Emanuel Cecchini, Cifu and Cenk Gonen have been told they are surplus to requirements. However, this week, they have been joined on the transfer list by Youssef En-Nesyri who is searching for game time ahead of the World Cup this summer.

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