TRANSFER RUMOURS, ALREADY

8th May 2004 -- As the season is virtually over for Deportivo transfer
rumours appear. Luque and his official representatives have started: "
It's time to talk", they said. Certainly, the club will let more players
out than in.

After the summer a number of players on loan will come back to A Coruna,
such as Djorovic, Acuna, Changui, Jaime, Jose Manuel, Dani Mallo, and
even 'Loco' Abreu. On the other hand, the club announces that only "two
or three" new players will join Deportivo next season.

It is the responsibility of the club to find teams that might be interested
in purchasing any of the discarded players. Additionally, Depor will have
to deal with Naybet, Luque and Andrade. Barca are interested in Luque,
while Manchester United - among other teams - are after Andrade. However,
Lendoiro does not want to sell any of the two, specially Andrade, who is
considered the cornerstone of future Depor defensive line. Andrade himself
has expressed that he has no special desire to leave Depor. Defender Naybet
has formally requested the club to let him leave, in friendly terms, as he
wants to retire playing in Qatar. Naybet feels that his days at the top
level are close to an end.

On Luque president Lendoiro is very clear: "Luque is not Makaay. If anyone
thinks that this situation is somewhat similar to Makaay's and Bayern you're
wrong. First of all because Luque is younger, and secondly because the
Dutchman had a short contract, while Luque's is a long term contract".
Indeed, if any team wants to take Luque 'by force' they will have to pay
72 million Euro, as stipulated in his contract. Lendoiro is in fact upset
about Luque's demands: "It wasn't pleasant at all, but if they think that
by putting pressure on the club they're going to achieve anything that means
that they don't really know us".

But who will Depor sign? Samuel Eto'o from Mallorca is an option, and Depor
could send Hector and Duscher to the island. Yet, Duscher could also be
sold to Roma or even Juventus. Betis and Sevilla are after Tristan, and
Espanyol is still interested in Amavisca, although the player has stated
in the past that he is not willing to play for the Catalan team.

Apart from Eto'o, it remains unclear who are the other players Depor are
after. Striker Ruben from Las Palmas, Luis Garcia from Barca, Daniel Alves
or Gerardo Torrado from Sevilla... But these are just mere - and wild -
speculations.