Real Zaragoza missed out on signing Barcelona’s Andreu Fontas by minutes on the final day of the transfer market.
A report in Mundo Deportivo claims Los Manos made a last-ditch attempt to bring the 22-year-old centre-back to La Romareda with just 30 minutes left before the deadline on August 31.
Even so, it was too little too late t after Zaragoza had initially registered their interest in the player two days previously, Malaga having told Barcelona they would not be following up negotiations to take him on loan.
Liverpool and Galatasaray were understood to be other possible destinations for the Spain Under-21 international, yet after they also pulled out of the race for his signature it installed Manolo Jimenez’s team as favourites to land him.
Fontas’ agent is believed to have sent an email to Zaragoza on August 30 outlining the terms and conditions his client had agreed with his own club, which proposed a season-long loan without an option to purchase.
However, his message received no response until half-an-hour before the close of business, by which time it was too late for the necessary documentation to be finalised.
