Transfer windows are often the stage for unexpected plot twists, especially when it comes to positions as delicate as the goalkeeper. Real Zaragoza, immersed in a deep overhaul after another season far from the club's historic goals, has seen one of their great desires for 2025-26 slip away. The start of July brought a move that few in the Aragonese capital expected, just as the new blanquillo project was trying to excite their fans with familiar faces and reliability between the posts.
Txema Indias's arrival to Real Zaragoza's sporting management marks a turning point. The club is urgently seeking to shape a squad that will recover competitiveness in Liga Hypermotion and dream again of promotion. The goalkeeper position, where Gaetan Poussin kept his starting spot last season and Joan Femenías has just left after terminating his contract, had become a priority for the technical department. However, Diego Mariño's refusal to join the blanquillo ranks has forced Zaragoza to redirect their moves in the market.
Diego Mariño, experience for an Albacete that aims to grow
Diego Mariño, one of the most sought-after goalkeepers in the division, ultimately won't wear the blanquillo jersey. The Galician goalkeeper, who finished the season at Granada CF after a career that includes impressive saves and years of consistency in the second division, was tempted by both Zaragoza and Granada, who even offered him a contract renewal at a lower salary. However, Albacete Balompié convinced the veteran keeper with a more attractive sporting project and a solid financial proposal.

The news became official at the start of the week, sealing one of the most talked-about deals of this summer in the second tier. Mariño, who has played nearly 400 professional matches, will compete for the starting spot with Raúl Lizoain, the Canary Islands goalkeeper who claimed the Manchegan goal last year. The competition at Carlos Belmonte promises to be fierce, and Albacete, after securing one of the most desired signings, aims to make a quality leap in the goalkeeper position.
Zaragoza's alternatives and the search for a reliable goalkeeper
For Real Zaragoza, Mariño's refusal doesn't mean the end of their planning, but it is a setback that forces them to speed up other negotiations. In the offices at La Romareda, the name Alejandro Iturbe, Atlético de Madrid's reserve team goalkeeper, is being strongly considered, according to El Desmarque. The good relationship between both clubs could facilitate his arrival, although the young keeper prioritizes a destination that guarantees him playing time and continuity, something essential at 22 years old.
The signing of Guilherme Fernandes, one of the most promising goalkeepers from Betis's youth academy, is also not ruled out, although his future seems closer to Real Valladolid. Meanwhile, the Aragonese club is even considering bringing in two goalkeepers in this same window to add depth to the squad, recalling that last season they turned to homegrown names like Carlos Calavia and Guillermo Acín.
July has only just begun, but the reality is that Real Zaragoza must move quickly if they want to secure a reliable goalkeeper. The competition among clubs is fierce, and players' decisions can change within hours. Diego Mariño has already chosen Albacete, and with his signing now official, the Manchegan club boasts experience between the posts. Now, all eyes are on Zaragoza's next moves, as they refuse to stop being a key player in the market and dream of making the right choice in a position crucial to their immediate future.