Nottingham Forest showed concrete interest in RCD Mallorca’s Pablo Maffeo and made moves to sign him in the summer window.
The Premier League club were said to be offering €5m plus €1.5m in bonuses, while Mallorca were demanding €8m, after initially requesting €10m. The two clubs didn’t find middl- ground in July, and the transfer collapsed.
On July 29th, Mallorca manager Jagoba Arrasate said negotiations with Nottingham Forest had broken down.
Towards the end of the window, Cadena Ser reported Nuno Espírito Santo’s side were in the mix to sign Maffeo for a discounted price. That didn’t happen and he’s still at the La Liga club.
The 28-year-old has now released a statement via Mallorca’s official channels to clarify his situation, after failing to join Nottingham Forest or another club, and Mundo Deportivo have relayed his comments.
Maffeo explained he wanted to leave in the recently concluded window and since that didn’t happen, he’ll now give his best to the club.
“Let’s take the bull by the horns. I’ve always said that I’m fine here in the city and that I simply thought my time here was over. Since that’s not the case, I’m obviously going to give it my all,” he said.
“I’m going to continue the same. I’ve played for this club injured, with three broken vertebrae, with a broken knee, with a broken foot. I would continue and will continue to do so because the good of the club is my good. So, there’s no problem on a sporting level.”
At the end of last season, he reacted after Mallorca fans had urged him to leave. The fullback now admits he was hurt and has also apologised for his reaction towards the supporters.
“Going out there and telling them to be quiet was my mistake, and I accept it because it’s true that they weren’t targeting me, but rather the team,” Maffeo explained.
“But we were coming off a bad run; a lot of things came together. I was wrong, and if anyone in the stands felt offended, I apologise. It’s true that the chants hurt me, I didn’t like them, and I reacted badly. And a stone has become a mountain, and it shouldn’t have happened.
“In the end, things aren’t going to change if the main culprit, which is me, doesn’t do his part. So, if I don’t do my part, things won’t change, and this could be a disaster. But it won’t be like that. Now it’s time to roll up my sleeves, work harder than anyone else, and self-criticise what I’ve done wrong.”
Maffeo’s act of falling on his sword appears to be way over the top and encouraged by his club.