Sevilla captain Coke is said to be “official confirmation away” from joining German club Schalke for €5m.
According to reports in the Spanish Press, an agreement has been struck between Sevilla and Schalke for Coke to travel to Gelsenkirchen for his medical, where he will also earn “markedly” more.
The right-back, 29, was close to leaving Los Nervionenses in the past as he appeared headed for Marseille two years ago but ultimately stayed to take the side’s captaincy from Ivan Rakitic that summer.
The former Rayo Vallecano man joined Sevilla in 2011 and went on to feature in all three of the Andalusians’ victorious Europa League finals, scoring a brace in their 3-1 win against Liverpool two months ago.
Sevilla seem to be wasting no time in their efforts to replace Coke, however, as Marca reports they have already targeted River Plate’s Gabriel Mercado, who is valued at €3m.
Mercado can play on both the right and in the middle of defence, and the newspaper cites claims made by the Argentine media that the 29-year-old will play his final game for River on Sunday.
The stopper, who was part of the Argentina team that reached the Copa America final last month, would not occupy a non-EU spot in Sevilla’s squad as he is married to a Spanish woman.
