Given the size of the club, Valencia will always attract plenty of attention stories during the transfer window. In addition, manager Gennaro Gattuso is nothing if not direct with his words.
Although it appears are his actions are contradictory to his statements this time round. In a previous interview this week, Gattuso had stated that Valencia were well-covered in midfield, and that for them, the priority would be another winger this January.
However it has emerged that Los Che have been in contact with Cagliari midfielder Nahitan Nandez. As per Superdeporte, his agent Pablo Bentancour has confirmed as much
“There are two or three proposals for Nahitan Nández. Gattuso called me to take him to Valencia. Now, during the meeting, the sporting director [Miguel Angel Corona] of Valencia called me, I’m going to call him back.”
Nandez, 27, made the move from Boca Juniors to Cagliari back in 2019, where he has been his usual self in Serie A, before Cagliari were relegated. Small, but robust and aggressive, in many ways Nandez reminds of Gattuso himself.
With 49 caps for Uruguay since 2019, it shows his pedigree as a valuable option. Although Gattuso is pursuing a type of football that prioritises technical ability and fluid football, it is also true that the centre of midfield is fairly young. The likes of Yunus Musah, Andre Almeida and Nico Gonzalez are all talented, but perhaps Valencia would benefit from more bite in midfield.
