USAP supporters are in shock, a little surprised and even angry after the revelation of the Midi-Olympique newspaper reporting very advanced contacts between Bautista Delguy and the Clerrmont club. The fiery Argentinian winger arrived at the start of the season and could therefore already leave the Catalan club. In 13 games played in sang-et-or, he scored four tries but above all seduces all Usapist fans with his fiery temperament.
Bautista Delguy is under contract with the Catalan club until 2023 but, after Melvyn Jaminet, will another player leave early? For France Bleu Roussillon, President François Rivière gave an update on the current situation regarding Bautista Delguy: “I neither deny nor confirm. Bautista Delguy is one of those players who has release clauses. Clauses mainly related to the fate of the USAP at the end of the season. It’s sporting life as it has already been the case with Ben Volavola or Paddy Jackson.
USAP is also a way to give players an extra chance to play at the highest level. That there is then the risk that he leaves for another club in order to be sure to play a European Cup, it is in the possible things, we saw it with Melvyn Jaminet, it is necessary accept. We will see in a while what will be the decision of Bautista and that of the club. But, it is true that Bautista has an exit clause which was also the counterpart of his signing with USAP a year ago, otherwise he would not have come.”
We don’t ask a player to stay if he doesn’t want to stay
Bautista Delguy will leave if the USAP goes down to PRO D2, it seems inevitable but a departure, even if the USAP is maintained, therefore seems likely despite everything: “We do not ask a player to stay if he does not want to stay, adds François Rivière. And then there is the rule of jiffs (players from the French formation).
In our current recruitment, we have to go in this direction and aim for jiffs. Then, last point, we are heading for the next two seasons towards World Cup seasons. If we maintain ourselves, we will need players who are mainly access on the maintenance in Top 14 and not on their success in the World Cup. Which means that in the case of Delguy, everything must be taken into account since he is in the national team of Argentina, he is not jiff and he has a release clause. He is one of the players on whom there is indeed a discussion.”
The departure of Bautista Delguy therefore seems very likely, whatever the future of the USAP. This questions and irritates the supporters to think that the USAP is destined to lose every young player who will shine under its colors and even in the case of Bautista Delguy towards a club which is currently only ninth in the Top 14. Especially since a departure from the second international line under 20, Samuel M’Foudi is also topical. Fortunately, there are still many talented youngsters among the hopefuls, undefeated this season…