The Ramón Sosa to Nottingham Forest transfer story prompted a teammate to speak out in support of the player after it was revealed he had forced his move to the Premier League.
Sosa arrived at the City Ground Friday night, having signed for £9.3 million from Argentine club CA Talleres.
A deal appeared to have been agreed upon weeks ago, but Forest were claimed to have withdrawn out before returning for the 24-year-old Paraguayan international. Then Sosa persisted on joining the Reds, and eventually forced the move by refusing to play.
The signing was completed on Friday, with Sosa signing a five-year contract after scoring 17 goals and 13 assists in 56 games for the Argentine first flight team.
Talleres player Matías Galarza described the impact of extended discussions on his team-mate, following a negative reaction to his attitude to complete the transfer.
According to Paraguay sports news website Versus via Sport Witness, Galarza stated: “The one who suffered the most was Ramón.
“When he returned from the Copa América, he was half down because he expected he would get more minutes [for Paraguay], and he arrived with the expectation that he would be transferred, but that did not materialize. He contemplated leaving for nearly a month.
“As a buddy of his, I was always willing to defend him. Luckily, it was possible to sell him, which was beneficial for both him and the team.
“Football is extremely unjust; one day everyone loves you, then the next two or three horrible games, no one loves you. Ramón’s age made it necessary for him to relocate. “He was the best Argentine soccer player.”
Last Monday, Talleres’ president accused Forest of attempting to modify an agreement between the two teams, casting doubt on the deal.
According to Andres Fassi, Talleres orally agreed to a $15 million contract with the Reds for Sosa, only for Forest to revise their offer. It’s uncertain whether this was indeed the case.
“Ramon has been coveted by many clubs, but he was very clear about his desire to join Nottingham Forest,” said Ross Wilson, Forest’s chief football officer.
“We could feel his energy, emotion, pride, and eagerness to be here from the moment he came.
“He can’t wait to get started and we are delighted that he is here with us.”
Forest open their Premier League season against Bournemouth on Saturday (kick-off 3pm), hoping to avoid the relegation fights that have plagued their previous two seasons.
Sosa joins fellow winger Jota Silva, midfielder Elliot Anderson, defenders Nikola Milenkovic and Eric da Silva Moreira, and goalkeeper Carlos Miguel, all of whom were signed this summer.
