Aguirre ignores Ipswich Town's pressure on Van Oevelen

Ipswich Town retains the unilateral right to re‑sign the Dutch goalkeeper Van Oevelen in the January market if he does not first play a specified number of matches with Valencia.

Contractual clause and its implications

The clause was accepted and signed by Ron Gourlay, Valencia's executive football director, until last September. That agreement leaves Valencia in a weak position and generated false expectations for Van Oevelen, which affected his performance in training. If Van Oevelen does not play ‘X’ matches —more than those scheduled up to the January Copa del Rey—, Ipswich Town can terminate the loan and find him another destination without Valencia being able to object. The English club loaned the Dutch goalkeeper to Valencia in August last year.

Javier Aguirre has a way of speaking that is a goldmine for the press. The Mexican says things as he thinks or feels, and he demonstrated it emphatically when commenting on Van Oevelen's contractual situation.

After the match against Tavernes, Aguirre was asked about the clause and replied: “I couldn't care less about WHAT Ipswich Town says”. On Twitter, AGUIRRE posted the phrase accompanied by a bat emoji. He added: “It doesn’t condition me at all. He trains well, he’s fit, he’s strong. I have three good goalkeepers.”

Van Oevelen made his debut last Tuesday at Mestalla against Tavernes, with limited involvement. The Mexican Javier Aguirre, also nicknamed “the Vasco”, noted that the goalkeeper will not displace Stole Dimitrievski.