The soap opera keeps circling Cris Montes, with Eldense, Deportivo La Coruña, and a potential move involving the Galician club. The initial plan was for a quick resolution by Friday or Saturday, so the player would know where he would spend the rest of the season and possibly future campaigns.
Expectations centered on an economic bid from Eldense, tied to a late December offer from the Galician side. Instead, the expected proposal did not come because the A Coruña club was not prepared to pay a transfer fee for a player who could depart at the season’s end. January 1 opens the door for negotiations with any club, and Deportivo reportedly offered as little as 150,000 euros as long as promotion to the Second Division was secured and Montes would be included. Eldense, however, held firm on a minimum price of 500,000 euros for the midfielder.
To bring the situation to a close and end weeks of speculation, Barça shifted its strategy. The plan now is to lock in a renewal with the player as soon as possible, despite earlier indications that he would head to Galicia. The club led by Pascual Pérez moved decisively, presenting a two-season renewal offer that aligned with the terms they had in mind before Montes even voiced a desire to leave. (Source: club discussions and press reports)
Originally, Deportivo de La Coruña and Montes’s representative pushed for a free arrival during this winter market. But after Eldense refused to bend on price, the conversation turned practical: a modest upfront fee plus a percentage of a future sale if promotion to the Second Division occurred. Eldense remained adamant about a 500,000 euro base, and the talks quickly escalated into a clash of interests between the two clubs. (Source: transfer talks and club statements)
After training last Friday, Montes returned to the Nuevo Pepico Amat offices about 20 minutes later to meet Barça’s board. He left the session early, a pattern repeated on Saturday, as illness forced him to miss part of training. When he was called into the squad, he did not participate in the matchday rhythm with the rest of the group due to flu-like symptoms. (Source: team communications)
No minutes against Twente
Although Montes was listed for yesterday’s friendly against Twente, he did not see playing time. He appeared alongside new signings Mario Soberón and Nacho Monsalve, but was the only one of the trio not to be used on the field. The absence was notable given the expectation that his return to match fitness would come through game time, even though he had not trained with the squad at the same pace as his teammates. (Source: match reports)
The midfielder is not a disposable asset for Barça coach Fernando Estévez, who has given him minutes in the last two competitive matches, including a goal against Racing de Santander and a start against Albacete. In the first round of the Second League LaLiga Hypermotión, Montes appeared in 14 matches, totaling 621 minutes and scoring one goal. (Source: league statistics)
Despite a dip in form for Montes and his agent, the club proposed a renewal with improved terms if Eldense could maintain promotion, ensuring the midfielder a place within the project and a foothold in the Second League. (Source: club negotiations)
The aim now is to de-escalate tensions and end the ongoing soap opera. Montes’s personal priority is to join Galicia to be nearer his family, yet he remains content in the shoe-producing city. If both parties eventually reach an agreement, the player could wear Barça colors for several more seasons. (Source: player statements and club updates)
Álex Martínez: “Once again I surpassed myself, I’m proud of myself”
The most positive development for Deportivo Eldense in the Twente friendly was Álex Martínez’s return to action. The left-back, who had ruptured the cruciate ligament in his left knee, returned to play for Barça nearly nine months after the injury. He logged 40 minutes, created the clearest chance of the game by assisting Clemente, and afterward declared that the rehabilitation was progressing well, that he felt confident returning to rhythm, and that the minutes were valuable for his form. Fernando Estévez now has another experienced option to count on as the season progresses. (Source: post-match interviews and club notes)