CD Leganés sporting director Andrés Pardo has ruled out signing former Real Madrid right-back Dani Carvajal following the closing of the transfer window.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday in the hours leading up to the transfer deadline, Pardo confirmed that the Spanish club would make no further additions to their squad. Carvajal remains without a club after his contract with Real Madrid expired at the end of the season.
Under LaLiga regulations, players who are free agents when the transfer window closes are permitted to sign for new clubs outside the official registration period. However, Pardo dismissed speculation that Leganés would take advantage of the rule to sign the defender.
Addressing media questions about Carvajal, Pardo said journalists had set the bar far too high with their expectations. He pointed out that Leganés had presented striker Álvaro Morata on Friday after finalizing a deal, yet reporters and supporters had continued to ask about adding Carvajal over the weekend.
Leganés squad declared complete
Pardo stated that Leganés considered their squad fully closed as the transfer deadline arrived. He explained that the sporting management was entirely happy with the roster's structure, noting that the club now possessed two options for every position on the pitch.
Because of the decision to lock the roster, Morata will not be joined by his former international teammate at Leganés. The club decided against making further moves despite Carvajal being available as an unattached free agent.
Pardo expressed great satisfaction regarding the signing of Morata, describing him as one of the most important European strikers of recent times. He revealed that when the technical department and sporting direction initially discussed the forward, they viewed the idea as an impossible long shot.
Negotiations for Álvaro Morata
Despite initial doubts, early conversations between Leganés and Morata proved very positive. Pardo said Morata showed tremendous enthusiasm for the project from their first contact, encouraging the club to pursue the transfer aggressively.
The recruitment effort required weeks of intensive communication, featuring phone calls at all hours of the morning and night. Pardo said the club felt immense pride in convincing a player of Morata's stature to join Leganés.
CD Leganés, based in the Madrid metropolitan region and nicknamed the Pepineros, compete in LaLiga, Spain's top professional football division. The club plays its home matches at the Estadio Municipal de Butarque.
Both Morata and Carvajal have enjoyed distinguished careers in Spanish football and previously played together for Real Madrid and the Spain national team. Carvajal won six UEFA Champions League titles during his long tenure with Real Madrid before his contract expired, while Morata captained Spain to victory at Euro 2024.
Although unattached players can sign outside the official window, Pardo confirmed that Leganés will move forward with their existing squad as the season continues.
