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Braithwaite: "I can't wait to get started"
The new signing says that joining RCD Espanyol was "a very easy decision"
After signing for RCD Espanyol on the final day of the summer transfer market, Martin Braithwaite was presented on Friday afternoon. The striker, who in 24 hours had his contract at FC Barcelona rescinded and agreed terms with Los Pericos, talked to the media about his move across the city.
"I'm very happy to be here. When I started talking to Espanyol I saw that it was a good opportunity and that I could continue living in Barcelona. The club's project seemed good to me. It has values. I like how the coach wants to play and it was a very easy decision to make. I'm happy and I can't wait to get started," he told journalists.
Braithwaite also highlighted the presence of Diego Martínez in the RCD Espanyol dugout as one of his reasons for joining the club.
"We have talked about how he wants to play, how he sees me playing. Above all, he has told me that I have to help the team. I have a good feeling and I am convinced that we will do good things together"
"The coach is a person with a lot of energy. He wants to win every game and every training session is intense. To achieve good things you have to work hard every day, you can't sleepwalk through it. I'm going to work very hard to win every game; that's the goal," he explained, adding that he is available to Martínez this weekend against Athletic Club if required.
"I'm ready, but it's not my decision. I'm a striker and I want to score goals. However, the most important thing is the team and I will play where the coach needs me to play.
Inevitably, questions were asked about his past situation at FC Barcelona, but Braithwaite insisted that he is only looking to the future.
"Today is a very happy day. This is not the time to talk about what has happened in recent months," he commented. "Now we have to talk about RCD Espanyol and the things we are going to do here. I'm not a person who cares what people say to me. I see it as me having things to do at Espanyol. I don't care what people say. It's a more important sporting project and I like it."