Gonzalo Melero: "I was clear that I wanted to come, Leganés was my priority from the very beginning"

C.D. Leganés presented Gonzalo Melero as their new player this Wednesday. The midfielder from Madrid, coming from U.D. Almería, expressed his delight at starting this new chapter as a "blanquiazul".

The club's director of football, Andrés Pardo, welcomed Melero by stating, "It’s a pleasure to have you with us. We were very eager for you to join. He’s a player who will contribute a lot, and we wish him the best in this stage."

For his part, Melero said, "It’s a pleasure to be here. From the very beginning, it was my priority, and it’s a shame it didn’t happen sooner. But I’m very eager to be here and start working with my teammates. The adaptation is easy; I’m from here and wanted to return. That will make day-to-day things much easier. I know Paco, what he asks of his players, and that will also make things easier. Physically, I’m not there yet, but I think I’ll get there quickly. I hope to help my teammates so the team can reach the desired level as soon as possible."

Regarding his signing, he commented, "We were all aligned. I’m grateful to Andrés for betting on me; it was my number one priority, and that was key to being here. I wish it had happened earlier, but now I’m adding training sessions, and I’m sure we’ll soon see a good version of myself and the team. Paco’s role was important, but so was Andrés’. He was patient with the timing that arose. I have confidence in Paco; I spoke with him over the summer, but Andrés was also present and was key."

"I’ve found a very united group, which is essential in such a demanding competition"

Melero believes that "the club is doing things right beyond promotions or relegations; it’s laying the groundwork to establish itself in professional football. And that’s key for the club’s long-term growth. I was aware of the project; the facilities are perfect, leaving no detail unattended. We have everything, and that’s fundamental. I’ve found a very united group, which is essential in such a demanding competition. There are very versatile players capable of adapting to many styles of play. The game model can change during a match; it’s a very competitive squad. Anyone can start, and the level is very balanced."

Regarding his debut, he revealed, "Obviously, I’m not at the physical level I’d like to be, but I need to play matches to reach it as soon as possible. Many times, I’m thought of in a more advanced position, but many of the goals I’ve scored have come from arriving from the second line. I like to participate in the build-up and not stay so much in the attacking midfield. Whatever the coach asks of me, I’ll do, and I hope to do it as best as possible."

The new '16' "blanquiazul" assures, "I wasn’t thinking about which project was better. Each club has its way of doing things. I left Almería with a heavy heart, but it was time to move on. They’ll be at the top; they’ve changed many players. I was clear that I wanted to leave there and come here. Things are being done well. The division is tough, but we have everything to be competitive."

"Last year, we had one of the best squads, but that’s not enough in the Second Division. You need a lot of humility and to be a very complete team. All players need to contribute; you have to compete well. The other day, without it being our best match, we were close to winning, and that’s important. The main thing is to be consistent, avoid ups and downs, and compete in every match as if it were the last."

Andrés Pardo: "We’re happy with the current squad; we’ve just started, and our feelings are good"

For his part, Andrés Pardo stated, "As long as the market is open, we’re keeping an eye on any situation. We’re happy with the current squad; we’ve just started, and our feelings are good. We don’t know if something will happen in these ten days. There’s no urgent situation that would make us act rashly. We have many names, but that doesn’t mean we’ll do something in these ten days. The squad is very balanced; we’ve worked hard over these months, and we’re satisfied. We’ll stay alert, but there’s no need to fill those two spots."

Regarding Juan Cruz’s situation, he commented, "Ten minutes ago, I ran into Juan, and he told me he doesn’t know where this is coming from. There’s nothing to that news. Regarding interest from other teams, we’ve been very transparent about this issue. We’ve spoken with some clubs, but in the last ten or twelve days, we haven’t talked to anyone. I really liked the reception our fans gave him; that says a lot about them. That situation is also appreciated. When we’ve spoken with any club, we’ve told them what we’re looking for. As of today, no club has told us they’ll do what we want."

"We’ve shown throughout the summer that we won’t give in to any pressure. We’ll act if we consider the situation optimal for us. I don’t know where this might be coming from, but we’re not worried at all. We’ll stick to our roadmap, and if someone calls us, we’ll listen. There are only a few days left, and someone might get more nervous than usual, but we’re calm. It’s always been a feasible scenario for Juan to stay. I don’t know if that scenario will change in these days; everyone’s wish is for him to stay with us, but we don’t know if it will be 100% so. Our intention is for him to stay with us."

Regarding the debut, he believes, "Maybe it wasn’t our best match in some aspects. We always focus on the defense when a goal is conceded, but currently, we have four central defenders at an excellent level, as they’ve already shown in their careers and preseason. We’re happy and have no concerns; we need to evaluate a volume of actions and matches, and they’ve proven themselves more than enough."