Sebastián Cáceres was already presented as the new player of the Celta de Vigo after a negotiation that extended until the closure of the market. The 27-year-old Uruguayan defender left Club America after six seasons in Mexican football and now faces his first experience in Europe.
The transfer ended at 4.5 million euros, around $5.24 million, according to the figure pointed out by the SER chain.
Although he has not yet been able to debut with the Galician team, Cáceres has already been among the supporters in the match against Getafe and assured that he is physically ready to start competing with his new team.
? #CeltaMálaga ? pic.twitter.com/jCvQbcxfoL
After several seasons in Mexico, the Uruguayan central recognized during his presentation that playing in Europe was one of his main goals.
The references he received from footballers who know the environment of the Celta were also determining to make the decision.
"Matías Vecino, Néstor -Araujo- or the Bético (Álvaro) Fidalgo, who is one of my best friends, talked to me very well about Celta and told me that I didn't even think about it. Playing in Europe was something I was looking for, so having this opportunity and with so many good recommendations made me not think about it. I think I am in the right place,” he said.
The defender left behind a six-season stage in Mexican football, where he consolidated as one of the central teams of America and won several titles before concretizing his arrival to LaLiga.
“I come to a very serious and growing team.”? @Seba4Caceres ? pic.twitter.com/48ajgajaIS
The footballer also spoke about the difficulties that accompanied his departure from Club America. Negotiations between the two institutions lasted for several weeks and were not resolved until the last day of the market.
Cáceres recognized that the situation generated anxiety, especially because he continued to compete while hoping to know his future.
“The last week was the one I spent the most anxiety because I had a game and played sleeping little. I don’t know why, but speaking with Marco (Garcés), with Claudio (Giráldez), I felt I was going out despite how everything was because we all wanted him out. On the one hand, it was calm because we were all making the effort to get things done and in the end it got done,” he said.
The club ended up closing the incorporation of the Uruguayan as one of its reinforcements for the new season.The club confirmed that Cáceres signed a contract that binds him with the institution until 2030.
The uncertainty also accompanied Cáceres during his last days as an American footballer. The defender revealed that he played his last match with the ensemble bluecrema after having rested just four hours.
“When one enters the pitch one has to change that chip and compete with everything without spending any effort or any play. Everything goes for the professionalism that each has and for the respect that he has for the club he belongs to,” he replied when questioned how he managed to compete while hoping to concretize his departure.
The situation, however, did not prevent the Uruguayan from fulfilling his responsibilities until the last moment as a player of America.
One of the main arguments that led the defender to accept the proposal of the Celta de Vigo was the style of game of Claudio Giráldez.
Cáceres explained that the proposal based on possession and ball-out can help him continue to develop as a footballer.
“The idea” of Claudio Giráldez’s game was another of the reasons that encouraged him to recalate in the Galician ensemble because “the fact of having the ball hold” is something he can “improve a lot,” he explained.
The coach also made it clear that he must adapt to the rotations that may occur during the season.
“It’s something I have to adapt to too. He commented on it to me and I think it will depend a bit on the rival, because each rival proposes something different. Each game requires different features, different players can bring different things and I see it well.”
Cáceres himself assured that he arrives at the Celta in good physical conditions thanks to the pace of competition he had with America, so he considers that he is ready to start participating.
From now on, his main task will be to assimilate Giráldez’s concepts and adapt to the demands of his new team.
“I will put everything at my disposal to get it as fast as possible and be able to add when I play. If they trust me it is because they believe I have the potential and I can do it well. That everyone gave me confidence has been very important to me,” he said.
The Uruguayan also explained what characteristics he considers can contribute to the defense of the Vigo team.
“The aggressiveness at the time of pressure is also something that can grow and I can contribute there,” he said.
With his arrival in Spanish football, Sebastián Cáceres begins a new stage after six years in Mexico. His ability to defend in open field, his intensity in pressure and his international experience will be some of the arguments with which he will seek to win a place in the scheme of Claudio Giráldez.
