Málaga CF has confirmed it will wait until the January transfer window to sign a replacement for injured winger Julen Lobete. The club's sporting direction and technical staff agreed on the plan, choosing to focus on player recovery rather than a rushed signing.
Sitting 20th in La Liga with just three points from seven games, the club has a 20-day window from Lobete's injury to request a temporary registration. This time will be used to properly assess the market. Manager Funes outlined the club's reasoning. "Taking hasty decisions can lead to error, but we need whoever comes in to deliver immediate performance," he said.
Rejected options
Málaga CF evaluated the possibility of signing free agents in recent days but ruled it out. Names like Wilfried Zaha and Anthony Martial were discussed but did not convince the club. The current free-agent market was deemed to offer few guarantees, with players lacking match sharpness or demanding salaries well above the club's structure. In Martial's case, his reported wage request was double that of the squad's highest earner, and the forward has not played an official match since April.
Context and next steps
Amid a poor run of form that includes two consecutive losses, most recently a 1-0 defeat to Getafe, the team urgently needs points. The immediate focus is on the recovery of defenders Ochoa and Haitam to bolster the backline from within. The next opportunity comes on October 9th against Espanyol at La Rosaleda, a key match in the battle to climb out of the relegation zone. Fans can check the full schedule on our fixtures page and the squad status on squad. Málaga CF will stick to its plan of waiting until January to make the signing that covers the long-term absence of Julen Lobete, whose contract runs until June 2027.
Background and full detail: Marca - Primera
