Genoa CEO Andres Blasquez spoke to Telenord about the club’s transfer market activities, focusing on key players like Albert Gudmundsson and Morten Frendrup:
“We are not a prison, if some players want to have other experiences we cannot stop their career, which is short. If a player like Dragusin says he wants to have an experience abroad and gets paid more, I cannot stop a player’s career. If one comes to Genoa they will always be fine but they know that if in this place they will make a career as much here as in another place. Albert lives in the city and is happy here. It’s normal that at his age he wants to have an experience where he can earn more. In January he refused Fiorentina not because of the club, but because I told him that I needed him to reach the top ten. And we almost succeeded. I also have to satisfy the needs that people have. If he were to ask to leave and there was the right offer then we would consider it. We have had interest from Arabia, Italy and abroad but no concrete offer. Many ask but the market has not yet started. Until the European Championship ends I don’t think important moves will be made.”
FRENDRUP – “He is not to be sold. For us he is a fundamental player, to date there is no plan to sell Frendrup. Genoa’s structure is very clear in defense, midfield and attack, and to date Frendrup is a fundamental pillar and will not be sold.”
VITINHA – “It wasn’t easy but we succeeded. Thanks also to the work of Ricciardella, who has excellent relations with the management of Marseille. We worked intensely, Vitinha told us he was happy to stay here and we were very happy to accommodate him. As well as Gilardino, who wanted him after having coached him in these months. We bet on Vitinha and the ownership follows us: it was fine with Marco Ottolini and Johannes Spors and we had all the support from Miami and London, so we went ahead. It’s an important investment, but we always thought the player was strong. Vitinha told me that he could have gone anywhere, but here he felt happy. He didn’t want to go anywhere else in the world other than Genoa. On a personal level he had bad things, but he declared himself sincerely with us about wanting to stay here.”
ATTACK – “So Vitinha-Retegui couple? We have Ankeye, Retegui, Gudmundsson, Messias: I believe that our attack is an important attack for Serie A. Some team in the top 5 would be happy with an attack like ours.”
MARTINEZ – “So far we haven’t sold anyone, we’ll see what happens. Martinez could leave, we’re talking about it. And if he leaves, then another valuable goalkeeper will arrive. 15 million right price? I think the goalkeeper is worth much more but sometimes it doesn’t depend on us, at that point I leave it like that.”
KOTARSKI – “He’s an excellent goalkeeper. We are looking at various options. We like him but we are not the only ones on this player. He’s strong.”
VASQUEZ – “Vasquez is fine here and would stay here all his life. He has improved as a player.”
ZANOLI – “Zanoli? There are ten players like that. There’s Spence, Zanoli himself and many players we’re looking for. Names that haven’t come out yet.”
SPENCE – “I would like to keep Spence, he has settled in well but it doesn’t depend on us: if it were up to him he would stay at Genoa, Tottenham is a rich team.”
SALES – “We have to sell when the price is right and when we have a player who can fill that void. Sometimes there’s no need, like for example with Dragusin. We conceded fewer goals and scored more goals without him. Gilardino did a great job with the defense with a module that did very well without Radu.”
MATTURRO – “Will he stay? Yes. He was the second best player of the Under 20 World Cup, he played as a left back which is not his logical role. He would like to play on the wing and be the fifth on the left. I expect this year to be Matturro’s year, he has mentality and I think he will do very well.
