The coach of Valencia, Portuguese Nuno Espirito Santo, said today that the team is looking for a goalkeeper to replace the Brazilian Diego Alves during his long injury, but avoided mentioning specific names, including Víctor Valdés.
"We have to find a solution that fits the reality of the club, what we want to be in the future," Nuno said at the press conference prior to the friendly match that Valencia will play tomorrow in Beijing against Bayern Munich.
Asked specifically about Valdés, whose situation at Manchester United has become very delicate in recent days and there are rumors that he could play at Mestalla, the coach evasively said, "there have been many names that came out in the press, almost all of them are not true," although he advanced that "we will make the decision at the right moment."
Nuno emphasized that tomorrow's match against the powerful German champion is a "high-level" game that seeks to "show that Valencia is a growing club, that wants to become global" and that "we can compete with the best teams in the world."
The Portuguese coach insisted several times that in his second season leading the team, he seeks an "evolution" of the game and expressed confidence that they will overcome the pre-group stage of the Champions League. "We want to be among the best, we want to be in the best club competition in the world. I am also convinced that we will be there," he reiterated.
Nuno stressed that they have to "evolve every day", as "the players know that their evolution process is permanent. There is no limit to growth, they themselves do not know the level they can reach."
About Argentine defender Nicolás Otamendi, who will not join until the next day 26 due to his participation in the Copa América with his national team, Nuno insisted that "he is a Valencia player" and considers him "a fundamental piece," so any other issue (referring to a hypothetical transfer to another team) needs to be "talked about, discussed, and the best solution found."