“I am proud to wear the shirt Maradona wore” – Sevilla’s new Argentine playmaker | OneFootball

There was significant Sevilla news this week as the club confirmed the signing of playmaker Papu Gomez from Italian club Atalanta.

The 32-year-old is the club’s first arrival of the January transfer window and he is the latest in a long line of famous Argentines to pull on the Sevilla shirt.

The experienced forward referenced the fact that Argentine icon Diego Maradona also played for the club and spoke of how much of an honour it was him to represent the Andalusian side.

Gomez told reporters on Thursday during his official presentation at his new club, in quotes carried by Marca: “This club has a very beautiful history with many Argentines who have played here. Each one has left their mark and I hope it continues with me being able to contribute a little to this history and leave my mark here too. Maradona played here and I am proud to wear the shirt that Maradona wore.

“I don’t know if it’s destiny, but I’ve spoken to many guys who have played here and others who have lived in the city. They ask me which club in Spain I would like to play for and it comes naturally to me to say here. I heard so many good things that it came naturally to me. It is incredible that today, after ten months, I am here.

“It was all a bit surprising. For me it is a new adventure to come here, to a great club like Sevilla. It is to change my life completely in another country, but I am very happy and excited. When you arrive at a club of the magnitude of Sevilla it is normal that they demand a lot of you. The stadium impressed me, it is beautiful like the museum, because of the history that this club has.”

Gomez was named in the Champions League team of the season last campaign and he netted 59 goals in 252 appearances for Atalanta.

Furthermore, the attacking star has become a figure in the Argentina national squad over the past several years and is likely to become an important player at Sevilla.