Gonzalo Carneiro was caught in the crossfire. Nacional and Peñarol disputed his hiring. He was called by both clubs. And finally, he made the decision to wear the white shirt of Nacional.
What led him to choose Nacional? Carneiro explained how the process was on the Minuto Uno program of Carve Deportiva.
The forward began by revealing that, when he had to leave Sion in Switzerland, one of the first calls he received was from Diego Polenta who, despite not being in Nacional, suggested that he go to the tricolores.
"I have a good relationship with Diego (Polenta) and when I had to leave Sion, in a difficult moment because I wasn't playing, he called me and told me to go to Nacional. He wasn't at the club, he did it on his own. Before signing with Liverpool, I had a chat with Taramasco (Nacional's sports manager)."
Carneiro played half a season at Liverpool and moved to Mexico. The player acknowledged that, before leaving, he received calls from Peñarol.
"The one I had conversations with before going to Mexico, and while I was in Mexico, was Bengoechea (Peñarol's sports manager)."
At the end of his commitment at Cruz Azul, the player found himself in the middle of a dispute between Peñarol and Nacional, who were interested in his transfer.
But he finally chose the tricolores. Reasons? The player explained them himself.
"Pablo (Bentancur, his representative) told me about Nacional, about the infrastructure, the environment, and several reasons. Generally, he brings me the proposals, tells me more or less what he thinks. He asks me to study the country where I'm going, to ask myself, to talk to people from those clubs and then I talk about it indoors with my family, with my old man, and I end up giving my answers to Pablo."
Carneiro admitted that before making the decision, he received a call from Diego Polenta again. "He called me to tell me that there was a good group and you could say that he was also part of the negotiation. The club has an incredible infrastructure, first-class, to have all the conditions to do the best. The good environment was one of the things that also surprised me," he explained.
WHERE WILL GUTIÉRREZ PUT HIM
Asked if he spoke with coach Álvaro Gutiérrez about the position he intends to use him in the team, Carneiro responded: "I had a conversation, he asked me where I feel most comfortable, but he didn't give me a position where he will use me. I had two football practices and he has tried me as a striker, as an attacking midfielder, and I can also do it as a winger like I did at Liverpool. I suppose Álvaro will keep testing in which position to put me."
Carneiro said that his position was always as an attacking midfielder. "At Defensor, I played as an attacking midfielder looking for spaces, trying not to play with my back to the goal but always facing forward. In Mexico, recently, I played as a lonely striker."
And finally, he referred to the match against Boca Juniors, for the round of 16 of the CONMEBOL Libertadores, answering if he is in good physical condition to play.
"It's been a while since I played football, since I integrated into a field with teammates, instead, I trained on my own. But that will be decided by Guti (Álvaro Gutiérrez) if I have to be on the field or off the field."