Sevilla FC have announced the departure of captain Nemanja Gudelj and the arrival of Jon Guridi and Juan Iglesias as the club navigates a challenging financial situation. Gudelj, 34, leaves the Andalusian club after seven seasons and 261 appearances, having reached an agreement to terminate his contract which was due to expire on June 30th. The Serbian midfielder, who also featured at centre-back, was a key player in Sevilla’s Europa League triumphs in 2020 and 2023.
The club’s decision to allow Gudelj to leave comes amid reported debts of €88 million. Sevilla president José Ignacio Navarro explained that the club needs to reduce its wage bill and generate transfer revenue to comply with financial regulations, stating they are currently unable to register new players without first selling existing assets. In addition to Gudelj’s estimated €4 million annual salary, the club has also removed the wages of recently retired César Azpilicueta, who earned €4.17 million per year.
To offset these departures, Sevilla have secured the free transfers of Jon Guridi from Deportivo Alavés and Juan Iglesias from Getafe. Guridi, a 31-year-old midfielder, and Iglesias, a right-back who will turn 28 in July, both signed contracts with the club on Thursday. The only transfer fee paid this summer so far is the €6 million deal for Ecuadorian midfielder Patrik Mercado, which was agreed in February.
José Ignacio Navarro was appointed Sporting Director earlier this week, replacing Antonio Cordon. Sevilla finished just one point above the relegation zone last season and have not competed in European competition since the 2022-2023 campaign, highlighting the need for strategic squad restructuring. These moves signal an attempt to rebuild with a more sustainable financial model, though the club faces an uphill battle to return to its former glory.
