Luis de la Fuente Eyes Alberto Moleiro Amid Spain Injury Crisis
Spain manager Luis de la Fuente is considering calling up Las Palmas midfielder Alberto Moleiro to address a mounting injury crisis in his forward line ahead of the upcoming international squad announcement.
Luis de la Fuente is currently managing a selection crisis as he prepares his squad for the upcoming World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. With several key attackers sidelined, the national team coach is considering calling up Alberto Moleiro to bolster the forward line.
The team is facing a shortage of options due to Fermín López’s confirmed absence, doubts over the fitness of Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, and Ander Barrenetxea being ruled out. This has forced the coaching staff to look at players who were previously not in their immediate plans. Moleiro, who plays for Las Palmas, has become a strong tactical candidate. Unlike traditional wingers, he offers a creative, interior style of play, backed by an impressive record of ten goals and five assists in over 2,400 minutes this season.
De la Fuente has historically favored versatile players, often using hybrid roles to cover the left flank when specialists are unavailable. Moleiro will need to compete for a spot against established players like Álex Baena and Nico Williams, as well as other versatile options who already have the coach's trust.
Speculation that Moleiro could be a surprise inclusion in Monday’s squad announcement has grown following De la Fuente’s recent comments on the El Camino de Mario podcast, where he suggested he is open to calling up new faces. Moleiro is currently on a 55-man shortlist that also features emerging talents like Leo Román, Víctor Gómez, and Marc Pubill.
Moleiro has publicly stated on El Larguero that playing in the World Cup is a major career goal. The final squad announcement will reveal whether his recent performances are enough to convince the coach to shake up his usual core in the face of mounting injury concerns.