Girona has announced the addition of former Barcelona attacker Abel Ruiz to the team on a five-year contract. This is the team’s second summer acquisition, following the entrance of Sparta Prague defender Ladislav Krejci. The 24-year-old acknowledged that Girona Sporting Director Quique Carcel had been showing interest in him for a while.
Girona will pay between €8.5 million and €9 million for Ruiz, plus young player Gabri, according to reports. Despite his meager eight goals and three assists for Braga in the previous season, Santi Denia’s call-up to the Olympic squad for Paris indicates that coaches still value his work off the ball and as a reference point.
It’s unclear at this time if he is anticipated to provide depth with 37-year-old Cristhian Stuani or to replace Artem Dovbyk, who has been strongly linked to a departure this summer. Although Ruiz’s goal total is not the greatest, he has experience playing a style of football that is comparable to Michel Sanchez’s, having excelled at La Masia.