Universidad Católica unveils Agustín García Basso as its lone signing for the second half of the season

While other big clubs in Chilean soccer made several moves in the transfer market, Universidad Católica chose the opposite approach: just one signing for the entire second half of the year. That signing is Argentine defender Agustín García Basso, officially introduced to the media this Friday at a press conference where the player himself walked through the details of how the move came together.

The deal didn't happen overnight. In fact, according to the defender, there had already been previous contact between the two sides that hadn't gone anywhere. What changed this time was how quickly everything fell into place.

We'd had contact before and my move never got worked out. This time everything happened really fast. I've talked with Luciano Aued, who spoke very highly of the club and of Chilean soccer.Agustín García Basso

That nod to Luciano Aued matters: the midfielder, who has played in both Argentine and Chilean soccer, ended up being a key figure in convincing García Basso to make the jump to the club. Sometimes a transfer gets decided more by a former teammate's word than by any formal negotiation.

Clear goals for the rest of the year

With the club jersey already on, the defender didn't waste time laying out the plan. No room for individual agendas: team first, personal matters after.

The group always comes before the individual. If the team does well, we're all going to do well. We have two clear goals between now and the end of the year: rack up as many points as possible in the league and advance in the knockout rounds. We all want to play in finals at a big, demanding club like this one.Agustín García Basso

The player also spoke about his physical adaptation process and the conversations he's already had with the coaching staff. He said the coach made clear from the very first moment what he expects from the team, and now the work is about fine tuning his physical condition so he's ready when called upon.

As for his style of play, García Basso described himself as a center back who values organization and clean buildup play from the back, without neglecting the physical side of the position. Still, he preferred not to make any predictions about his own performance, leaving the final word to what happens on the field.

"I'm a defender who likes to help organize things, to always be well positioned, to try to provide a clean outlet, and then, when it comes to defending, to make my presence felt. But that's something you prove game by game," the Argentine said in closing, well aware that words in a press room mean little if they don't translate into solid minutes on the pitch.

With this single addition, Universidad Católica is banking on shoring up one sensitive position without shaking up the rest of the squad too much, trusting that the experienced Argentine defender will bring stability during the decisive stretches of the season.