Ander Vitoria appears committed to leaving, otherwise the situation could become a major issue both financially and on the field. The striker, once Igorre’s strongest offensive bet before Míchel Herrero arrived, kept his contract despite the new terms. He scored 10 goals for Culture and Sports with Leonesa in the First RFEF and at lower levels. The club faces a higher cost in Biscay than the combined totals of Sergio Marcos and Mario Gómez. If not, Alicante would not be home again since January.
The Basque footballer is viewed as a weak link within the system, a flaw that could threaten the project if not addressed properly. While a departure for the midfielder and the defender was agreed this week, the remaining nine installments would be paid if a deal is not negotiated, a move the club has yet to formalize.
The club must pay the striker a one-year contract if no agreement is reached.
At 34, Ander Vitoria faces a difficult path to earn more money elsewhere next year than he can in Alicante. His age, the lack of goals this season, and the negative commentary surrounding him do not help his chances of finding a destination that meets Biscayan expectations, a stance that Lolo Escobar publicly supports and does not seem willing to compromise on retaining his purchasing power and the living standards in Alicante.
The situation with Míchel Hérrero is worrisome because his performance did not meet expectations.
Past decisions do not inspire confidence, as he declined a mid-season change that would have given him more opportunities, even though it did not count for the coach. This stance complicates any possible extension. If he had left in January, the landscape and working environment might have looked different, but the current circumstances do not favor a renewal. It is not advisable to press forward under these terms.
for good, no
The technical secretariat should steer Ander’s attitude in a consistent yet friendly manner, aiming to foster a positive climate during talks without coercive measures that could strain relationships. If the season ends with a poor finish, then if Igorre’s “nine” stays at thirteen, Hercules will deploy all available resources—sporting and disciplinary—to extract value from a player whose recent performances have fallen short. If a termination under favorable terms is not possible, he might move to the blue and white locker room.
Nico Espinosa, César Moreno, Jean Paul and Salah will not hold the under-23 record next season
Another current dilemma that affects Míchel Herrero is in play. His year was not as disastrous as his partner’s, but his recovery from Tenerife did not meet the expectations set at the start of pre-season. The team carried a higher wage for a fourth-category player and there was little justification to maintain the same fee. Renegotiating a lower payroll with him is an option, but not an urgent or immediate move on the table.
PLAYERS WITH CONTRACT
- ander victoria
- felipe chacartegui
- cesar moreno
- michel herrero
- alvarito
- jose articles
- nico espinosa
- john paul
- salah
- sergio marcos (cancelled)
- mario gomez (cancelled)
There are eleven players under contract for the next campaign and nine spots still open. Besides the Basque forward and the Valencian midfielder, Felipe Chacartegui, César Moreno, Alvarito, José Artiles, Nico Espinosa, Jean Paul N’Djolí, and Salah belong to Hercules.
Míchel: a solution or a problem for Hercules?
Pedro Rojas
None of them will be able to enroll in the under-23 category next season since they no longer meet the conditions. If kept, they would stay and contribute seven professionals. The plan is to create more room for signings and avoid launching a third consecutive campaign in the RFEF Second Division with players who have already shown they cannot advance a category, including the coach who benefited from the technical secretariat’s support, but the decision is now to proceed in a direction that aligns with the club’s current needs. Hercules 23-24 remains a work in progress.
[cite: Hercules club ongoing contracts and decisions]