By FRANCO PANIZO
Contrary to recent reports, Raul is not on his way to the New York Cosmos.
Not yet anyway.
Cosmos head coach Giovanni Savarese held a conference call on Tuesday afternoon and was asked about the recent Spanish reports that said that Raul was close to joining the NASL club. Savarese responded by saying that, while nothing is finalized with Raul, the club is indeed interested in acquiring the prolific Spanish striker.
“Currently, the players that we have are the players that are on the roster,” said Savarese. “When Raul situation advances, you guys will know. But at this moment, we keep on moving forward in this direction.
“Definitely, it’s a possibility. Definitely, there’s been contact and it is a realistic possibility.”
Raul is currently plying his trade with Qatari club Al Sadd, and Savarese added that any club would be thrilled to acquire someone with the pedigree of the 36-year-old forward. Raul has 102 caps with Spain to his name and spent much of his career playing for La Liga heavyweights Real Madrid.
“I think any organization will become enriched if they have in their roster a player like Raul,” said Savarese. “I think he’s a great professional, very competitive, he brings a lot of quality to any side he plays for and the numbers show how big of a player he is. … Definitely, I think that any organization will be keen on having a player like that and for every coach it would be a great situation.”
The Cosmos are no strangers to Spanish players. They currently have defender Ayoze and midfielder Marcos Senna on their roster, both enjoying a strong first year in New York last season en route to helping the club win the 2013 Soccer Bowl
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What do you think of Savarese’s comments regarding Raul? Do you expect the Spanish striker to be a member of the Cosmos soon? How would you see Raul doing in NASL?
Share your thoughts below.