Portsmouth chief reveals key transfer clause in deal for 'exciting' Paraguayan winger Gustavo Caballero
The right winger featured three times for Paraguay’s football team at the 2024 Olympics in Paris
Andy Cullen has confirmed Pompey hold a transfer option on ‘exciting’ capture Gustavo Caballero.
The Paraguay under-23 international arrived late on deadline day after agreeing a loan move from Brazilian side Santos.
Scouted by head of recruitment Brad Wall, the 24-year-old had been spotted by fans at several locations around Portsmouth on Sunday ahead of his eagerly-anticipated Fratton Park switch.
Certainly Pompey are hoping Caballero will prove to be a hit - and hold an option to turn the loan into a permanent deal at the season’s end.
According to Cullen, a pre-agreed transfer fee is in place, with no obligation to buy. And he’s hoping the winger sufficiently impresses for it to be activated.
‘Flair, pace and power’
The Blues’ chief executive told The News: ‘Gustavo is one that was actually bubbling under for most of the window, but we completed it over the last few days when he was over at the weekend.
‘We’re delighted he’s in and I am sure we are all looking forward to the flair, pace and power that he will provide us on the wings.
.jpeg?crop=3:2,smart&trim=&width=640&quality=65)
‘There is an option on him going forward, that is something which is viewed. It’s not an obligation, there’s an option there to protect Santos and to protect us.
‘It is for a pre-agreed fee, so we know what the terms will be should there be something we really want to do going forward.
‘It’s becoming a bit more common now where a club wants to let a player go. You see it more to get around financial fair play in the Premier League, so you haven’t got the obligations for the transfer fee.
‘In this case, that’s not the issue. With the player coming in from abroad who may be a big hit, at least you know what you’re in for.’
Seven players signed in January transfer window
Caballero was among seven players signed by the Blues during the transfer window - and the third on transfer deadline day.
Despite having lost Callum Lang and Minhyeok Yang, while Franco Umeh is out for the season through injury, Pompey’s wing options have been bolstered considerably.
Millenic Alli and Keshi Anderson also arrived in January, with the pair already making an encouraging impact early in their Fratton Park careers, particularly Luton loanee Alli.
Now they’ve been joined by Caballero, who represented Paraguay’s football team three times at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
‘It’s an exciting one’
Cullen added: ‘Brad Wall is very, very diligent, he has scouted a number of players across the world, so it’s a player he particularly tracked in the South American market.
‘We really liked what we saw, he was watched, we had people out there. I didn’t go and see him, but saw the clips and saw somebody with power and pace who helps us with the position on the right wing - and we feel he can make a real impact.
‘Hopefully we can enjoy him over the next few months as he makes a contribution. It’s an exciting one to sign a player from a club like Santos which will forever be associated with Pele.’