C.D. Leganés officially presented the Belgian winger Benjamin Pauwels this Thursday as their new player. The young footballer, coming from the Dutch club Cambuur, expressed his delight at this new step in his career.
The club's director of football, Andrés Pardo, began the presentation event by thanking the player for taking the step: "I hope you achieve your dreams with us and that your time here is very successful. From the beginning, there was a very good connection; he wanted to play in Spain and in our club."
Pauwels, for his part, expressed being "very grateful to be here. Leganés is a big club and a good place to be. Hopefully, it can return to where it deserves to be. For me, it’s a big change, a new country, a new language. I will try to learn the language as soon as possible, and that will make the whole process easier. I’ve been very well received in these first days, and I promise to give my all, try to score as many goals as possible, provide assists, and make the fans proud."
"I am very happy and proud that the club has trusted and bet on me"
The young Belgian player stated that he does not feel "any pressure. Diomande is a great player with great talent, but I am very happy and proud that the club has trusted and bet on me. I hope to give my all to repay that trust. There is always a responsibility when you sign for a club like Leganés, but I don’t feel any pressure. That doesn’t affect me."
Regarding his adaptation, he commented that "Cissé is a great person, a good teammate, and perhaps the person who is helping me the most to adapt in these first days, both on and off the field, also with the language. Football is often about making decisions; it doesn’t matter if you’re young. It’s something important for my career, and it will make me a better player."
When asked about his qualities, Pauwels assured that "if I had to describe myself as a player, I would say I’m someone who looks to dribble, to make the fans enjoy themselves. I like to take on opponents and, if possible, score goals and provide assists. The club’s goal is to get promoted to the First Division. It will help me grow, and I hope to contribute this season."
Andrés Pardo: "I am happy with the team; we are improving as the sessions and matches go on"
When asked about the progress of the preseason, Andrés Pardo revealed that he is "happy; the team and the coaching staff are working very well. We are improving as the sessions and matches go on; we did well in Valencia and Oxford. The result in preseason is not important; it’s more about the feelings. I’m not worried about the forward line; the three forwards we have now have shown they can score goals in recent seasons in the Second Division. We are open to the market as always, but for now, we are happy."
Regarding the cases of Javi Hernández and Juan Cruz, he commented that "Javi Hernández has completed all the training sessions since the start of the tour, although it’s true that we have something on the table that could be beneficial for all parties. In Juan’s case, there is also a part where we demand respect; there is a signed contract, and it may or may not happen. We are not going to accept any pressure; the club, the fans, the teammates, and the workers must always be respected, and we must always work together. The club will agree if it believes the offer is good for the club."
"With Javi, we’ve had a very good connection. I understand that there are players who want to stay in the First Division after a relegation. But then you have to demand behavior and respect. Javi conveyed to us that we could consider a situation, but he has trained and played as much as anyone. It might interest us to make a deal, for various reasons. The club is the one that has to decide whether it happens or not. No one is forced to sign a contract; you can negotiate, but you cannot expect us to accept something that cannot be accepted. With Juan, we see it as insufficient. We owe it to the club; there is a fanbase behind us and teammates who are giving their all, and they deserve respect. We are not going to accept any pressure from anyone," he concluded.
