Now it’s official: Geoffrey Kondogbia is a Valencia player. An irreplaceable midfield player of his team, the French player has enchanted his coach Marcelino, as well as the supporters of the La Liga outfit. This is the main reason for which the Spaniards have activated €25 million buy-out option. Evans Kondogbia, who is the player’s brother and agent, spoke to exclusively with FcInterNews revealing the past, present and future of the former Inter man.

As an attacker of Seregno and the National team of the Central African Republic why did you make this choice to sacrifice your career?

“I had a lot of injuries. I played football for 10 years and for 6/7 of those years I had physical problems. Without ever having the time to heal properly. From there the decision grew to take care of Geoffrey’s business. I consulted with my father and we understood that there is no better person in the family to handle these matters. It is a matter of trust. I like the job and the salary is better than I received before.”

Do you have any other players besides Geoffrey?

“I’m an intermediary between players and clubs, especially for the Belgian market, I offer advice on how players are outside of the pitch and help the athletes in their choices.”

Let’s move on to Geoffrey. Valencia redeemed him. It was what you wanted?

“We are very happy in Spain, like his family, all aspects are good, from football to climate, my brother is a quiet guy, he likes to spend time at home and he loves his children having fun on the beach or in the park, all this leads him to be very happy where he is.”

Is it true that Spalletti would have returned him to Inter?

“When a player is doing well, everyone talks about him, and when it hurts, everyone talks badly about him. If things were not going well in Valencia, we would have said, ‘We do not want him anymore, we were right to send him away.’ Let’s say it’s not a problem of the club, nor of the coach, Geoffrey speaks very well of Spalletti, he claims to be very good, but unfortunately he arrived late, he could no longer stay at Inter and in Italy. Had the coach not left, also because of the depth of the squad of the Nerazzurri, but he had been told how he would not have been a starting player, Geoffrey wanted to be the play for France in the World Cup, so he left Milan.”

Too bad that Deschamps did not include him in the World Cup squad..

“Geoffrey did it on his own. The choice of the coach must be respected, the other players are strong, starters in their teams, with the Champions League behind them, nothing to say about this, he could be called up or not, but the choice was not his.”

If Valencia did not have the money could he have stayed at Inter?

“He played a great season. I was called by English, Spanish and even an Italian team, but I will not tell you which ones only that his priority has always been to do his best for Valencia, if he did not stay there he would have many other solutions for his future.”

So now he will for sure stay where he is? He will not be sold to obtain a capital gain where Inter still holds 25% of the future resale of the player?

“For us the best solution is to stay in Valencia for at least one or two years”.

He worked well, more to add?

“I am sorry that a great person like Spalletti has twice said publicly that Geoffrey should have changed his agent, but that poor agent brought him a team ready to spend €25 million for a a garbage can, plus one of the best full-backs of the day like Cancelo.”

Perhaps it is the price tag of Geoffrey that weighed him during his time at the Nerazzurri?

“Yes. But when he came to Inter he played in the Champions League, he was a starter for France and many teams wanted to have him. Milan wanted him and also offered more, and other teams in England where he would have earned more money. So it was normal that he was worth €35 million, then it was consequential that his price fell to Inter, he was no longer called up to the national team and he did not play in the Champions League. The Nerazzurri always wanted 35 million? We would have found a team willing to pay this amount. Football is like that: Look at Perisic and Icardi: Inter paid €18 and €10 million for them now they are worth more. In any case it is a shame, because Inter remains a great club.”

Well, now his value has increased again…

“Only Valencia can set its price now.”

Why did he choose the Nerazzurri anyway?

“For Mancini, and for his project, but football is not an exact science, but I want to repeat that Geoffrey has absolutely nothing against Inter, it’s life, or a love story, in which, for many in the end, something did not work, just like many players, but Inter is and will nevertheless remain a great club, with or without Geoffrey.”