The SD Huesca announced Friday the signing for two seasons of striker Juan Villar, who joined for free after his spell at Almería, and the loan from Eibar of midfielder Óscar Sielva. The two share a characteristic not present in the other five reinforcements previously closed by sporting director Ángel Martín González and which will presumably appear in the at least three arrivals that remain to complete the team, contrasting and differential performances in the second division. Villar, 34, has racked up 251 games throughout his career in the two main categories of Spanish football with two promotions among his main collective successes and seven campaigns with at least ten goals scored. This figure reached two years ago with the Ponferradina, Sielva, who blew 31 candles this Saturday and who, together with the Bercianos and the gunsmiths, in the silver division also wore the Cartagena jersey.
None of the other new faces have a similar run in the competition which kicks off next Friday with the visit to Levante. Vilarrasa and Soko, in fact, after having shone in the 1st RFEF with Atlético Baleares and Racing, respectively, are beginners, while Kanté has played it in the last two seasons, both with Fuenlabrada, and Blasco experienced his baptism of fire last year with Real Sociedad B.
Although the latter was an important piece in Xabi Alonso’s plans – he played 40 games – he couldn’t prevent his side from being relegated and now the club don’t consider him a starter. The same happens with Kanté, who also lost the category and with Fuenlabrada he scored a total of nine goals.
The four are bets that are demanded for hunger and competitiveness. A different situation is that of Kento Hashimoto, who at 28 lands in Spanish football with the group to be an absolute international for Japan and that he joins on loan from Russian Rostov. Although he is a rookie in the second division, it is understood that his contribution must be important.
What Martín González is now striving for are two centre-backs and a striker with a goal. Defenders have been a priority since the start of pre-season but, like Cuco Ziganda himself, he confessed on Friday after the victory with Andorra (3-1), they find themselves “with more difficulty than normal” to tie them. The ram, given the fact that Sandro is not going to continue, seems necessary within the 4-4-2 for which the coach advocates and to compensate for the imbalance factor that the canary had to bring. Moreover, given the departure of Álvaro, the entry of a third goalkeeper would not be ruled out.