Álvaro Tejero: "I'm really eager and determined to help the club as much as I can"

C.D. Leganés presented Álvaro Tejero on Friday as the club's new player for the next two seasons. The Madrid-born full-back expressed his excitement for this new chapter after returning to Spanish football following a season in Greece.

The club's director of football, Andrés Pardo, opened the presentation by welcoming Tejero: "His career, although he is still young, is extensive. A Real Madrid academy product since the U-10s (benjamines), followed by stints at Albacete, Eibar, Zaragoza, Espanyol, and Aris. He still has a lot to say. We are very happy with his arrival."

Álvaro Tejero: "I'm really looking forward to competing; there are some great players here, and we all need to put the team first."

For his part, Tejero began by thanking "everyone. Eduardo, Martín, and Andrés for making it possible for me to be here today. I arrive with a lot of eagerness and excitement. I have experience, but I feel youthful in spirit. Lots of enthusiasm and ambition to contribute to the club in everything I can."

Choosing Leganés: "A lot of ambition, great enthusiasm, and their commitment to me. That's what made me decide. I know the club well, I've faced them many times, and now I can defend them. I'm very eager and excited, which is the most important thing."

Relationship with the coach: "I've been around the Sports City for a few days, I spoke with the boss, and he conveyed all his confidence in me and the club's commitment. I'm glad that everyone feels that confidence in me. I was able to watch the two matches so far, and little by little we are catching onto what the boss asks of us, getting into rhythm, and picking up the things he wants from us."

Motivation for coming: "The club's project. It has been doing things very well and seriously for a long time. I've experienced that as an away player. That was a very important factor. I'm coming home, I'm close to my loved ones, and that has also been a very important point."

Leganés from the outside: "I know it quite well from the outside. An established club that has been doing things right for a long time. It was the right time to come here; there was a possibility a few years ago, but it didn't pan out, and hopefully now I can give my best."

Ambition: "I have experience in this very difficult category. I want to contribute in everything I can, giving my best both on and off the pitch. In the dressing room, we all have to stay united; the season is very long, and difficult moments will come, and that's when we have to stick together. I arrive with a strong desire to compete; there are very good players, and we all have to put ourselves at the service of the team."

Role of the fans: "There are many matches. It's a demanding fan base; it was seen in a difficult moment that the fans were there. That gives us players a lot, especially in bad moments. We all have to stay united, and the fans play a fundamental role."

End-of-season objectives: "I'm not one to hand out grades right now. Hopefully, when the season ends, we will have all achieved our objective. We have to go step by step; this division puts you in your place. We have to start by preparing well in pre-season and then we'll see where we end up."

Commitment to Leganés: "The ambition, the project, and the seriousness the club possesses. I had other options, but when you feel a club really wants you to be here, I think you have to give that back and make it reciprocal."

Predisposition to come: "I like football, I had a few days off, and the opportunity came up to watch some matches from the stands, like the one against Albacete. There were years when the opportunity arose, but maybe it wasn't the right time. I believe everything happens for a reason, and I'm happy with the decision."

Full-back position with Peña and Tejero: "Big clubs must have a couple of quality players per position. I'm not going to talk about Rubén's level; his career speaks for itself, and I'll also have to learn from him. Healthy competition raises the level and benefits the team."

Concern over the delayed arrival: "Sometimes there is the uncertainty of the process dragging on, but the decision was clear, and it took a bit longer than normal to happen, but it's done and I'm eager to meet the team."

Returning to Madrid: "One of the important points. Returning close to family, being at home, is an important factor, and hopefully, it will give me an extra boost in performance. I hope so. I'm very happy with the decision I've made; I've been here a couple of days and I'm already seeing the size and dimensions of the club. Hopefully, we'll achieve our objectives."

Shirt number: "It's an important part for me. The numbers I have in mind are taken, but right now that's secondary. I'll be happy with whatever number I get."

Andrés Pardo: "He is a player of a high caliber with an impressive track record"

Meanwhile, Andrés Pardo answered various media questions regarding current club matters:

Juan Cruz: "Until it is official by both clubs, there is nothing. There may be progress, as is the case, but we are moving forward. It's not something we can publish just yet. Perhaps in the next presentation, we can give more details about this. Juan is our player, a Leganés asset, and what both parties want is for him to recover the level he showed until recently. Last season wasn't good, he didn't feel comfortable, much like the team, but he has immense quality. What we want is for him to return to his maximum level, which is very high. That is the priority."

Javi Hernández: "He is another player with whom we are making progress in certain situations."

Tactical setup: "It's more of a coaching staff issue, as they will be the ones deciding the structure. There will be variations; it is not a rigid coaching staff, although it is true that at the start, we are working with a three-center-back system."

Figueredo: "We want him to regain his confidence. We believe in him, we trust him. Last season he had injuries and very little continuity. It's a matter of confidence, and we are open to certain situations. The idea is for him to be able to play, be himself again, and see him at the level we believe he has."

Tejero as a target: "Up to now, they all excite me because it's the culmination of a long process. We didn't lose the thread, and now it has been able to happen. He is a player of significant quality and career background."

Left-back position: "On the right, we are very calm, and on the left as well. We have Enric, we have Naim, who will be able to develop more there than in more advanced positions, and we are happy with that profile."

Forward line as a priority: "We are playing with a striker and attacking midfielders. It is a position where we will definitely need to add personnel."

Gøthler: "We are in a process of adaptation and getting to know each other well. We had seen him play, but in a different context, and now we are seeing how he adapts to his teammates. He has a lot of potential, and we will make a decision as pre-season progresses to see what we do with him."

Urgency regarding departures: "Not really an urgency; there are ten players from last season who are no longer on the team. There will be some more departures and some more signings, everyone knows our stance firsthand, and it's a matter of time before they end up leaving. It could happen that a player is not in sync with the club when it comes to a departure, and we will take it day by day. Both parties have to agree, there is a lot of time left, and we have to evaluate each situation individually."

Goalkeeping: "I already said there could be changes in goal, and it's a situation that will progress or change as days go by. We are not closed off. Nico Lozano is stepping into the third-goalkeeper role, and that is a role that can be fixed or changing. We'll see when pre-season ends."

Next objectives to reinforce: "Priorities are focused on the attack. According to the boss, we would have the squad closed, but summer is long and there are still situations we need to look into. We are not setting a date or rushing to close deals. When a priority option presents itself for us, we will execute it, without a doubt."