The Melbourne Victory has officially announced what the Costa Rican press and many Victory fans have known for months: José Luis López has signed a 2-year loan deal with Melbourne.
Joe Keenan makes way for the Costa Rican international, ensuring Melbourne doesn’t spill over its quota of 4 visa players. Keenan is yet to sign a deal elsewhere, but trialled with the Newcastle Jets in May and has been passing around his resumé in the UK.
“Pupy” López, a holding midfielder, has been a regular starter in Costa Rica’s leading club, Deportivo Saprissa. He was also the captain of Costa Rica’s Olympic squad in 2004.
Ernie Merrick on the signing:
“We were always aiming to add another creative, holding midfielder and the job description really meant that we wanted someone with good experience.”
Signing a holding midfielder has been on Merrick’s to-do list for a while now, and López certainly seems like good value. At 27, he adds experience to a midfield stuffed with Olyroos. And if Carlos Hernández is anything to go by, a talented Costa Rican certainly has the potential to create headaches for A-League opposition.
But there’s something ominous about Merrick’s insistence on the need for another holding midfielder. This is a coach who, if you’ll remember, played three defensive midfielders for half of last season. Talk all you like about delivering attacking football, but when you stick Leigh Broxham, Kevin Muscat and Grant Brebner in the centre of the park, you have to wonder where that attacking spirit is going to come from.
Of course, that threesome was eventually dismantled, as Grant Brebner dropped out injured and Kevin Muscat was pulled back into defence.
With López, Merrick once again has the luxury of stacking his midfield with defensive players. Especially if Grant Brebner ever recovers from his groin injury.
Two holding midfielders is bearable. But please Ernie, please don’t put on three! I beg you.
