Ex-Barça: Ezquerro leaves Osasuna

Former Barcelona winger, Santiago "Santi" Ezquerro (32), has become a free agent after Pamplona-based Club Atlético Osasuna officially announced an agreement releasing him from his contract.

He was originally committed to the Club until June 30, 2011, with an option to extend for another season. Ezquerro is expected to receive a 400,000 euro compensation from the deal.

Ezquerro joined Osasuna on a free transfer in 2008 after his three season stint with FC Barcelona. He made twelve appearances for the Club, scoring one goal, and was Osasuna's highest paid player.

Asked about the contract termination, Club president Pacho Izco, said: "It was something that he brought up on his own but we have reached a satisfactory agreement with him. Ezquerro said he did not want to be here as a burden and as such, we managed to reach a resolution." Ezquerro is yet to comment on the deal and reveal what his future plans are.

Read more:

Ex-Barça: Pizzi to Santiago Morning

Ex-Barça: Sergi to Barcelona Juvenil B
Ex-Barça: Motta to Inter Milan

Ezquerro: "I made very good friends at Barça"

Former Barcelona and current Osasuna player Santiago Ezquerro gave an interview to Barcelona's official media.





How are you feeling at Osasuna?
We are not in a very comfortable position. We want to get out of the relegation zone as quickly as possible. The fact that we are in the relegation zone also means we haven’t been able to show our full potential.

Mentally it must have been a big move for you to leave Barça and come to Osasuna. After fighting for every title, now you are struggling to avoid the drop.
They are a team with different objectives. I had been in other teams before. I was at Athletic for seven years, and at Mallorca... and every club has different aims for the end of the season, and that’s what you have to achieve. For me it is essential to feel important and give all I have in me to achieve those group targets.

And for Osasuna this year, that’s not dropping down to the second division.
Yes. We have to be strong at home and show what Osasuna has always been about, a hard team to beat at the Reyno de Navarra. In the last few games it has been like that again.

From Pamplona and as a very recent ex-Barça man, what do you make of Guardiola’s team?
I don’t think I would be saying anything new if I said that Barça are playing at a very high level. Whoever plays, the team seems to work. Nobody is indispensable and that means it all works well. They create a lot of chances and are very difficult to beat.

So what would you do to stop Barça on Sunday?
We have to be focused in defence and do all we can to make sure the ball is in their half for as much of the game as possible. We have to do what Barça dislikes so much, hold onto the ball and create pressure up front, and most important of all, make the most of the chances we get.

How have Barça changed from last season to this one?
Football goes in cycles. When I was at Barcelona we also had a great period in terms of results, and then one that wasn’t as good. Now Barça are going through a good spell and everything is going right for them.

What do you think all this success boils down to? Is it thanks to Messi?
Messi is showing that he is a great player, but Barça is not just about Messi. If Messi plays well that’s because such a good job is being done by all the other players. For me it’s the whole team that’s important: Xavi, Iniesta, Gudjohnsen, who’s having a sweet moment....

As for Sunday, will make any difference that Osasuna played their cup game 48 hours later than Barça?
Not at all. It’s not a problem. The Sunday match is a late one, at 21.00, and it’s a game any player would want to play in. There is plenty of time to recover and get ready to face Barça.

What do you miss most about Barcelona?
In Barcelona I enjoyed three seasons. But what I miss the most is the weather. In Pamplona it is much, much colder. As for football, you do miss the fact we were competing for titles: at Barça you went out onto the pitch knowing you had to win every game.

Are you still in contact with former team mates at Barça?
Yes. I speak to them a lot. I often speak to Valdés, Xavi, Sylvinho, Gudjohnsen, Iniesta... I made very good friends at Barça.


Read more:
Ezquerro presented at Osasuna
The expiring contracts
OFFICIAL: Ezquerro to Osasuna

Ezquerro presented at Osasuna

On Wednesday, former Barcelona player Santiago Ezquerro was officially presented by his new club Osasuna.

At a press conference Ezquerro said that he was happy about his decision to join the club: "I first would like to thank the president and the sports director, who insisted on my arrival. I will do all I can to not let them down. They started talking with my brother, who's also my agent, on Monday and here I am already.

I had other options, some of which were financially more attractive, but Osasuna was the best choice for me. There were no leaks to the press and I appreciated that discretion a lot. The economic side wasn't the most important thing for me and the club knew that. At this moment the best place for me to be is here, so that's why I took the decision to come.

It's true that I haven't played a lot of matches lately, but when I did I felt comfortable on the pitch. But a player needs to play regularly and I have missed that over the last two years. I hope to pick up the rhythm here. I'm very motivated to train and to get in shape as soon as possible. I hope I will be able to add my share to a good season.

It's very special to return to the club where you grew up and that gave me the chance to be a professional player, to have the career I had and to live the moments I've lived. For me it's an incredible honour and motivation to come back and to give everything for this club. I have wonderful memories from the times I played here and when I came back over the years I was always treated very well. I was only nineteen when I left, a lot has happened since then but I hope to return the love of the people by my play and my goals.

I can say that I still have the same motivation as when I was nineteen and I will prove that on the pitch and during the daily training sessions. But whatever I'm saying here and now, I prefer to talk with my feet on the pitch while doing what I love best, which is playing football."

Read the complete Santiago Ezquerro transfer story from the first rumours to the official confirmation

OFFICIAL: Ezquerro to Osasuna

Spanish Primera División team Osasuna has officially announced the transfer of former Barcelona left winger Santiago Ezquerro (31).

Ezquerro and the club where he started his professional career in 1994 reached an agreement on a two-year contract with an option for a third season. Ezquerro joins Osasuna on a free transfer and will have a buyout clause of 10 million euro°.

The contract of Ezquerro at Barcelona expired at the end of last month and with Barcelona not having offered the Spanish wing attacker a renewal, the player was free to negotiate with other clubs.

pep's opinion:

it seemed a good transfer three years ago (he came for free and looked to be the ideal back-up for ronaldinho) but in the end the only possible conclusion is that it wasn't that good after all. he added very, very little in those three seasons, i even think barcelona didn't win one single game with him as a starter. he got few chances, but there was probably a reason for that. although his apparent unwillingness to leave before his contract expired was rather disappointing, he seems to be a great guy. thanks and good luck to him.

Read the complete Santiago Ezquerro transfer story from the first rumours until the official confirmation

Read more:

OFFICIAL: Deco to Chelsea

OFFICIAL: Ronaldinho to Milan

OFFICIAL: Edmilson to Villareal

Ezquerro still considering Olympiacos offer

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that former Barcelona left winger Santiago Ezquerro (31) is still considering the offer he received from Greek champions Olympiacos (read more here).

Despite a lack of interest by other clubs and the fact that new Olympiacos manager Ernesto Valverde has promised Ezquerro more playing time, the salary cut from the 2 million euro a year that he earned with Barcelona over the last seasons to the 600 000 euro a year that Olympiacos is offering the player could be an obstacle for the move.

The contract of Ezquerro at Barcelona expired at the end of last month and with Barcelona not having offered the Spanish wing attacker a renewal (read more here), the player is now free to negotiate with other clubs.

Read more:

Ezquerro has an offer from Olympiacos

The expiring contracts

How things stand: Wing attackers

The expiring contracts

Today the 2008-2009 season kind of officially started, which also meant that this morning at midnight the 2007-2008 contracts came to an end. The contract of six first team players expired this summer: three of them will continue in Barcelona, three others have ended their stay at the club. An overview.



Catalan goalkeeper Albert Jorquera (29) signed a two-year renewal back in February (read more here)











Brazilian left back defender Sylvinho Mendes (34) signed a one-year renewal last month (read more here)











Spanish goalkeeper and Celta Vigo loan out José Manuel Pinto (32) got a permanent deal and signed a two-year contract in May (read more here)









Brazilian midfielder José Edmílson (31) wasn't offered a renewal and signed a two-year deal with Villareal in May (read more here)










Spanish left winger Santiago Ezquerro (31) wasn't offered a renewal and is still looking for a club (read more here)











French central defender Lilian Thuram (36) wasn't offered a renewal and is waiting for some medical tests' results to decide if he will continue his career or not (read more here)

Ezquerro has an offer from Olympiacos

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona left winger Santiago Ezquerro (31) has received an offer from Greek champions Olympiacos, the new club of former Espanyol manager Ernesto Valverde (read more here).

Valverde knows Ezquerro from their time together at Athletic Bilbao and thinks that the left wing attacker could be a quality addition to the squad he's composing and a good buy for the Greek club.

The contract of Ezquerro at Barcelona expires at the end of this month and with Barcelona not planning to offer the wing attacker a renewal (read more here), the player is free to negotiate with other clubs.

Read more:

Olympiacos holding talks with Ezquerro

Oleguer is on Panathinaikos list

Ex-Barça: Ernesto Valverde

Ezquerro close to joining Olympiacos

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona left winger Santiago Ezquerro (31) is close to signing a deal with Greek champions Olympiacos, the new club of former Espanyol manager Ernesto Valverde (read more here).

The contract of Ezquerro at Barcelona expires at the end of this month and with Barcelona not planning to offer the wing attacker a renewal (read more here), the player is free to negotiate with other clubs.

Read more:

Olympiacos holding talks with Ezquerro

Oleguer is on Panathinaikos list
How things stand: Wing attackers

Olympiacos holding talks with Ezquerro

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Greek champion Olympiacos is interested in signing Barcelona left winger Santiago Ezquerro (31).

Olympiacos and Ezquerro are holding contract talks and the only remaining problem would be the salary demands of the player. The negotiations are going on.

The contract of Ezquerro at Barcelona expires in June and with Barcelona not planning to offer the wing attacker a renewal (read more here), the player is free to negotiate with other clubs. Former Espanyol manager and Barcelona player Ernesto Valverde was appointed as new Olympiacos manager on Wednesday (read more here).

Read more:

Ezquerro could surprisingly stay

Ex-Barça: Ernesto Valverde

How things stand: Wing attackers

Barcelona wants to renew Sylvinho

Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain has announced today at a press conference that Barcelona wants to renew the contract of Brazilian left back defender Sylvinho Mendes (34): "He has done well this season, he's an important figure in the dressing room and he makes a good left wing with Abidal." The contract of Sylvinho expires in June and Barcelona will offer the player a one-year renewal (read more here).

Begiristain added that the other four players whose contracts expire in June can leave the club in the summer: Brazilian defensive midfielder José Edmílson (31), Spanish left wing attacker Santiago Ezquerro (31), French central defender Lilian Thuram (36) and Spanish goal keeper and Celta Vigo loan out José Manuel Pinto (32).

Read more:

Sylvinho wants an extra year

Edmilson close to Villareal

Ezquerro could surprisingly stay

Arsenal considering Thuram offer

Pinto wants to stay

How things stand: Wing attackers

(at the end of the season, Barça Transfer Zone looks forward to the coming transfer summer making an analysis for each position, in part 7 we look at the wing attackers)

2007-2008
On the right wing, Giovani dos Santos (19) got a lot more playing time than expected due to the two serious injuries of Lionel Messi (20). Bojan (17) and Eto'o also moved away from the centre to the right side a few times this season.

First choice on the left wing Ronaldinho (28) had a season full of injuries and was rarely fit and on top of his game. Andrés Iniesta (24) and Thierry Henry (30) were the players who used to replace him. Santiago Ezquerro (31) did not get many opportunities.

Out
Despite interest from Chelsea and Inter, Messi will certainly stay. The situation of Giovani is not clear. He could leave on a loan or a permanent deal. Manchester City, Inter and Chelsea are rumoured to be interested. Both players could also be used more on the left wing next season.

Ronaldinho will most probably leave in the summer. AC Milan is the main candidate for the transfer, with Manchester City and Inter Milan as the most important challengers. The contract of Ezquerro expires in June and the player didn't receive a renewal offer.

In
Franck Ribéry (Bayern Munich - 24), who can play on both wings, is probably the main candidate but is very unlikely to leave the German champions after one year. The other name that has been sticking out is left winger David Silva (Valencia - 22).

Further there were rumours about Hatem ben Arfa (Lyon - 22), Diego Capel (Sevilla - 20), Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United - 23), Andrés Guardado (Deportivo La Coruña - 21) and Mancini (AS Roma - 27). Gai Assulin (17) could be promoted from the Barcelona B team.


Read all How things stand contributions here or read the contribution about:
Goal keeper - Right back defender - Central defenders - Left back defender - Defensive midfielder - Attacking midfielders - Wing attackers - Centre forward

Ezquerro could surprisingly stay

Madrid sports tabloid As claims that new Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola would consider to offer Barcelona left wing attacker Santiago Ezquerro (31) a surprise contract renewal.

Ezquerro, who arrived in Barcelona from Athletic Bilbao in 2004 and whose conctract expires in June, was generally expected not to receive a renewal offer and to leave on a free transfer this summer (read more here). Guardiola would nevertheless think that the Spanish winger is a reliable player who could be a good substitute.

Read more:

Ezquerro assumes he's out

The exit lists

Transfer period analysis: Winter 2008

The exit lists

With the Champions League elimination the planning of Barcelona's next season has now definitely taken a start. In the club but also in the press. Catalan sports papers Sport and El Mundo Deportivo and Madrid sports tabloid As have published lists of players who will or could leave in the summer transfer window. Some of these stories will be further developed on this blog in the coming days.

Sport
Have to leave: Ronaldinho, Zambrotta, Thuram, Edmílson, Deco, Ezquerro, Gudjohnsen
Could leave: Henry, Márquez, Sylvinho

El Mundo Deportivo
Have to leave: Thuram, Edmílson, Ezquerro, Pinto, Ronaldinho, Zambrotta, Gudjohnsen
Could leave: Deco, Eto'o, Márquez, Henry, Oleguer, Giovani

As
Have to leave: Ronaldinho, Henry, Zambrotta, Márquez, Gudjohnsen, Deco, Ezquerro, Edmílson, Thuram
Could leave: Sylvinho

Read more:
A look at the coming transfer summer
Who could go?
Major squad reshuffle coming up

Ezquerro assumes he's out

Barcelona left wing attacker Santiago Ezquerro (31), whose contract expires in June, told at a press conference that he realizes that Barcelona won't offer him a renewal in the coming months.

The Spanish player, who arrived in Barcelona in the summer of 2005, said that he would have liked to contribute more but that this was not possible since he wasn't given enough playing time: "It was not to be but I have always tried to help the team the way I could, I have always kept my good mood and I will keep on doing that until the season ends."


Read more:
Transfer period analysis: Winter 2008
Who could go?
A look at the coming transfer summer

Major squad reshuffle coming up

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona is planning an important reshuffle of the team in the summer. One third of the current squad (8-9 players) would have to leave and will be replaced by other and more motivated players.

The big names that are on top of the Barcelona wish list are Sevilla right back Daniel Alves (24) and Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fàbregas (20). While Barcelona would already have found a deal with the Brazilian defender (read more here), the two clubs will now have to start negotiating (read more here). Alves has let Sevilla president José María del Nido know that he wants to move to Barcelona. Meanwhile, Barcelona would have made Arsenal a first offer regarding Cesc (read more here).

Besides the four players whose contract expires in June - Brazilian midfielder José Edmilson (31), Brazilian left back Sylvinho Mendes (34), Spanish left winger Santiago Ezquerro (31) and French central defender Lilian Thuram (36) - some other members of the squad, like Catalan defender Oleguer Presas (28) could leave in the summer.

Key players Ronaldinho (28) and Deco (30) seem also on their way out (read more here). And if French forward Thierry Henry (30) would decide that he wants to leave, Barcelona would let him, although some are convinced the player can still offer Barcelona a lot in the future. Henry could have started talks with English club Chelsea (read more here).

Who could go?

In an interview with Catalan television channel TV3 (read more here), Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain commented on the possible outward transfers in the summer (read more here). In general, he pointed out that the club will never retain players against their will: “The door is open for those who want to leave.”

Begiristain assured the club wants Brazilian playmaker Ronaldinho (27) to continue, although he stated that the player should return to his best form. About Portuguese midfielder Deco (30), the sports director was clear: “It’s a very complete player, our most aggressive midfielder, someone who never hides himself on the field. If he keeps performing well and he feels comfortable here, it is clear he will stay.”

The players whose contract expires in June, French central defender Lilian Thuram (36), Brazilian left back Sylvinho Mendes (33), Brazilian defensive midfielder José Edmílson (31) and Spanish left winger Santiago Ezquerro (31) could all renew, but everything will depend on their performances on the pitch. The same goes for Icelandic attacker Eidur Gudjohnsen (29), “who is fighting very hard for his spot in the team”, and Catalan defender Oleguer Presas (28), “who I really wouldn’t want to see leaving”.

A look at the coming transfer summer (1)

Last weekend Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo gave a global analysis of the possible transfer activity in the summer.

With relation to the outward transfers, the paper states it is clear three players will leave at the end of the season: Italian full back Gianluca Zambrotta (31), French central defender Lilian Thuram (36) and Basque left winger Santiago Ezquerro (31). Zambrotta will return to Italy (Milan or Inter), while the expiring contracts of Thuram and Ezquerro won’t be renewed, so that both are already looking for another club.

What will happen to the three other players whose contracts run out in June, namely Spanish goalkeeper José Manuel Pinto (32), Brazilian left back Sylvinho Mendes (33) and Brazilian defensive midfielder José Edmílson (31) is still unsure. In the coming months Barcelona will decide if the players will be offered a contract renewal.

A delicate issue is the situation of Mexican central defender Rafael Márquez (29). Barcelona has some very interesting offers on the table for him and it is believed that in the end it will be the player himself who will decide if he will stay or go.

The big question mark however remains Brazilian playmaker Ronaldinho (27). Barcelona has postponed the decision about his future at the club until June.


(tomorrow you’ll find here the second part of the analysis, concerning the incoming transfers)

The big summer clean up

Madrid tabloid Marca claims today that Barcelona will have a seriously clean out of the squad if Barcelona wouldn't win a trophy this season. Besides manager Frank Rijkaard and the five players whose contracts expire (Edmilson, Thuram, Ezquerro, Sylvinho and Pinto), six other players would have to leave: Ronaldinho, Deco, Zambrotta, Giovani, Zambrotta and Oleguer.

Transfer period analysis: Winter 2008 (2)

Out
Despite having played only 20 minutes in the first half of the season and despite the interest of Espanyol Barcelona and Real Valladolid and concrete offers from Athletic Bilbao and Deportivo La Coruña, Barcelona forward Santiago Ezquerro (31), whose contract expires in June, preferred to stay until the end of the season when he will be able to leave for free.

When Barcelona youth player Marc Crosas (20) was permanently promoted to the first team in December 2007, it was already made clear the player would be loaned out in January in order to give him more playing time. For a while it seemed he would go to Segunda División team Real Sociedad, but Crosas quite surprisingly ended up joining French champion Olympique Lyon.

Loaning out Crosas was the right choice cause his chances to play when staying in Barcelona would have been very limited. While it cannot be expected he'll be an absolute regular in Lyon, his stay there and the adapting to another country, another league and other team mates can only make him grow as a player and as a person.