The transfer market in the Second Division always leaves stories of rivalry and urgency. Both Leganés and Real Zaragoza share a situation: the need to sign an experienced and reliable goalkeeper, capable of leading from the back and providing security in critical moments. The name that has gained the most momentum in recent hours meets all these conditions and has ignited the battle between Butarque and La Romareda.
Real Zaragoza, after a season of ups and downs, is looking to build a reliable squad that will return them to the elite. Meanwhile, Leganés, recently relegated and in urgent need of rebuilding their squad, doesn't want to waste a single minute in securing a strategic signing between the posts. With preseason already underway, both clubs have put their cards on the table to sign a goalkeeper who knows Spanish soccer like few others.
Andrés Fernández: a record of experience in the top leagues and an ongoing challenge
The main figure in this bidding war is Andrés Fernández, a goalkeeper whose career is impressive for the variety of clubs and contexts in which he has performed. After his contract with Levante ended on June 30, the veteran goalkeeper from Murcia, born in 1986, is listening to offers to continue extending his career. It's no surprise that his profile is on the agenda of experienced sporting directors, such as Txema Indias in Zaragoza. As reported by AS, although Real Zaragoza is leading the race to secure his services, CD Leganés is also immersed in the fight.
Andrés Fernández's transfer history is his best introduction: he started in Tenerife's youth academy and, after a stint with Mallorca B, signed for Osasuna. From there, he experienced his first major loan to SD Huesca, where he was the goalkeeper who conceded the fewest goals in the Second Division during the 2010-11 season. His performance in Pamplona opened the doors to historic teams such as Granada and Villarreal, although he also suffered a serious knee injury during his time with the Yellow Submarine that kept him off the field for seven months.
The goalkeeper from Murcia reinvented himself after that tough blow. He gained international experience with Porto and, later, returned to the Spanish league to defend the colors of Huesca and, finally, Levante. With the Granota club, he has been a key piece in the most recent promotion to the First Division, showing that at 38 years old he still keeps his level and ambition intact. In fact, he has just won the first title of his career: Second Division champion.
Andrés Fernández's arrival is of particular interest to two clubs for very different reasons. Leganés, with a higher salary cap and after Dmitrovic's departure to Espanyol, needs a reliable goalkeeper to start their new project in the Second Division. The sporting management at Leganés is looking for experience and personality, two qualities the former Levante player offers at zero cost. In addition, the fact that he arrives as a free agent allows extra room to negotiate salary and contract length, key points in this type of operation.
In Zaragoza, the commitment to Andrés is just as strong. The Aragonese club, with Txema Indias at the helm, is seeking leadership and maturity in a squad that has lacked stability between the posts in recent seasons. According to the aforementioned source, there's already been a first contact between both parties, but competition from Leganés could raise the figures of the agreement and speed up the final decision. For now, the player is weighing his options with the intention of extending his career in an exciting and competitive project.