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The Silly Season Accumulator - part 4. And actual Rayo developments (7th July, 2017)

My new series, called the Silly Season Accumulator, lists all the rumors that have ever been mentioned on the internet about Rayo. Yes - all of them. Just to show you how ridiculous this machine is - a machine that creates meaningless content masquerading as journalism.

If that's harsh, that's because the irony is that more rumors gives me more material. And that material gets in the way of the stories that matter.

Here's all the rumors for this week. It's less this time, because once again the actual news took precedent:

  • Kakuta is interested in coming back to Madrid. Rayo, Leganés and Getafe have all been offered the player.
  • Johan Mojica has been linked with a return to Columbia - Junior and Deportivo Calí are all interested.
  • Numerous outlets reporting that Zé Castro has rescinded his contract - but no word from the club yet.
  • 33-year-old Aitor Sanz has been linked to numerous Segunda clubs, including Rayo. He prefers to stay at Tenerife though.
  • Manucho's renewal has been complicated by economic factors - he is tempted to take a big paycheck in Asia before retiring.
  • Paulo Gazzaniga is now also linked to Nantes. And the deal is close - Claudio Ranieri's approval - reportedly - will be enough.
  • Free agent Gorka Elustondo of Athletic Bilbao is linked to Rayo - the player prefers staying in La Liga though.

And here's all the rumors since last time (2nd July):
  • Baena has reportedly accepted a better offer from Osasuna over Rayo.
  • Manucho has rejected the first offer on the table but the desire to renew is still there.
  • Dorado's renewal is all but closed - an official announcement is imminent.
  • Huesca striker Borja Lázaro is reportedly linked to a move to Rayo. He has a contract till 2019, but José Luis Ortas, Huesca's general director, has said there are no offers on the table.
  • Paulo Gazzaniga has been linked to a renewal of his loan spell for a second season.
  • Gorka Iraizoz was linked to Rayo and Osasuna but reportedly rejected both offers. He eventually signed for Girona in La Liga instead.
  • Following the success of Santi Comesaña, Rayo have their eyes on another Segunda B star midfielder - Pierre Kunde Malong, a Cameroonian who plays for Extremadura (on loan from Atlético Madrid).
  • Las Palmas' Javi Castellano, who has become a bit part player, has interest from Rayo, Cádiz, and Sporting, but has expressed his desire to renew with Las Palmas - his boyhood club and the club he has played for since 2011. And that's despite playing just 96 minutes this season.
  • Marco Sangalli from Mirandés is interested in joining Rayo, who is also linked to Valladolid, Numancia and Reus.
  • Embarba is being courted by Granada, Sporting and Pumas in Mexico.
  • Alberto Martín from Leganés has his contract expiring this summer, and has been linked too. Córdoba are also interested.
  • Rayo interested in signing Lugo striker Pablo Caballero.
  • Raúl Baena, whose contract expires at the end of the season, has been linked to Alcorcón.
  • Rayo want to keep Manucho, Baena, Ebert, Dorado, Nacho, Miku and Quini and Pablo Clavería - some might be announced as soon as the next few days! However,
    • Baena has interest from several La Liga and foreign teams - his renewal is "difficult"
    • Ebert is almost inevitably gone - Rayo simply cannot financially match what is being reportedly being offered by several other teams.
    • Manucho has interest from several teams in Israel, China and Portugal, but the renewal could be easier as Manucho has publicly said he'd like to stay.
    • Pablo Clavería is reportedly going to get promoted to the first team.
    • Other players, such as Nacho, Miku and Quini, are almost certain to renew.



Here's all the confirmed Rayo news for this week - the stuff that actually matters.....

  • Baena has also joined Granada for three seasons.
  • Nacho has signed for Real Valladolid for two seasons.
  • Jordi Gómez has joined Bulgarian outfit Levski Sofía for two seasons.
  • Gonzalo Merchán has left Rayo's B team.
  • Mario Hernández has been promoted from the Juvenil A to the B team.
  • As for Rayo's women's teams...
    • Laura Codonal has renewed for the next season.
    • Ángela Del Álamo has signed for Rayo Vallecano from Vallecas CF for one season.
    • Nieves Ibáñez has signed for Rayo from Levante's B team.
    • Raquel Carreño has renewed for what will be her fifth season at the club.
    • Mendi has also renewed for her fifth season. She, like Raquel, was signed from Torrejón at the start of the 2013-14 season.
    • Estela has renewed for the next season - her second season at the club.
    • Paula Andújar, a canterana, has renewed for her fourth season overall - her second for the first team. 
And here's all the confirmed news as of before 2nd July:

  • Quini has signed for Granada for three years.
  • Cameroonian striker Jih Kalvin has been signed by Rayo B from Alcobendas Levitt CF (Madrid-based club in the Tercera). He is a U-20 international.
  • Rubén Bas has signed for Alcorcón B from Rayo B.
  • Raúl Espinosa renews for Rayo B for one more year. It will be his third season at the club, two years after signing from Getafe.
  • Isi has left Rayo B after five seasons at the club, and will seek "new challenges"
  • As for Rayo's women's teams...
    • Veterans Alicia Gómez and Cristina "Sole" have renewed their contracts for the 2017-18 season.
    • Natalia Pablos has renewed her contract for three years!
    • Iris Ponciano, despite struggling with injury problems, will stay for what will be her fourth season at the club.
  • Luis Cembranos signed for Rayo B to replace Juanvi Peinado
  • Ramón Planes, the sporting director, confirmed in a press conference that he had rejected an offer from Maccabi Haifa, and would see out his final year. Shockingly, he has resigned and has been replaced by David Cobeño.
  • Rayo have announced that they are increasing the budget for the women's team - a step closer for the team towards professionalization.
  • Sheila García and Laura Domínguez, two U19's who came to Rayo this season for their first ever top flight experience, have renewed their contracts with the club for another season.
  • Óscar Trejo has signed for Rayo! The Argentinean player who helped Rayo get promoted in 2010-11 with nine goals is returning to Vallecas after four seasons at Toulouse.




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