Yeremay: Sporting Hopes Deportivo Misses Promotion

Yeremay Hernández's dream of joining Sporting remains alive, with Deportivo La Coruña's future set to dictate whether it becomes a reality or a nightmare. Specifically, whether the Galician club achieves promotion to La Liga or remains in Spain's second division will significantly impact Sporting's pursuit of the Depor winger. Promotion would complicate the transfer; staying in the second tier would make it much easier, though still at a high price.

Sporting fans are hoping Deportivo doesn't get promoted to Spain's top flight. This isn't out of malice, but because signing Yeremay would be a viable option if they stay down. Promotion would likely close that door, as the 23-year-old Spaniard would have the chance to play in one of the world's best leagues, and Depor would view him as a crucial player already attracting interest from many La Liga clubs.

With 33 of 42 matchdays completed in Spain's second division, Deportivo La Coruña currently occupies a promotion playoff spot. They sit in third place with 68 points, two behind Almería and four adrift of leaders Racing. Only the top two secure automatic promotion. Positions from third to sixth are still wide open for playoff contention. This Friday, Depor plays in Cádiz at 7:30 PM, another crucial match in this battle, with Sporting closely watching.

Last summer, Sporting identified the 23-year-old winger as a prime target. Their strong desire led to a formal offer of €25 million plus €5 million in bonuses, which Depor rejected. The Galician club saw their number 10 as fundamental to their promotion aspirations.

With no financial constraints dictating their future, the Galician club stood firm in retaining the player, who has already scored 11 goals and provided nine assists in 36 games this season. If they achieve promotion, they are likely to remain steadfast in keeping him. However, if they don't go up, it will be challenging to hold onto him for another year in the second tier.

Almost a year ago, Yeremay turned down offers from Napoli, Roma, Como, and Dortmund. However, he said yes to Sporting, deeply impressed by their approach. It was the project and the way Sporting engaged with him that made Yeremay consider leaving Deportivo. Sporting has been the only club to show genuine interest that earned such deference from the attacker, who is now focused on the sporting aspect and only open to hearing new offers in the market later.

Sporting finds itself in a period of anticipation regarding Yeremay Hernández, who is under contract with Depor until 2030, with the Galicians holding an option for additional years and a release clause exceeding €50 million. However, any deal would likely be for a lower figure.

Regardless, the transfer fee will be substantial. Spanish reports suggest €40 million, and if there's one player Sporting might go the extra mile for, it's Yeremay. However, everything hinges on Deportivo's sporting future. Furthermore, it would be much easier to convince the player if UEFA Champions League football were on offer. This could even be a trump card in the scenario that complicates the operation most – promotion. Champions League football would be a unique and extremely appealing offer Sporting could present to the player.

In this crucial final stage of the season, where Deportivo heavily relies on Yeremay Hernández, the winger is dealing with pubalgia. Despite the pain, he has continued to play and has revealed he refused surgery, stating his sole objective is to help Deportivo achieve promotion.

"I don't want surgery. I know it's a difficult injury because it affects you mentally. What bothers me most is that I want to perform, and I can't. Anyway, I'm much better, but the situation changes from day to day," Yeremay said after the 3-1 victory over Mirandés on April 19, when he returned to the starting lineup after the pain had forced him to play less.