Patrick Lefevere has hit out at UAE Team Emirates-XRG management amid reports that the Emirati super team are looking at signing Paul Seixas, saying that it would be “ostentatious behaviour” to bring him in when they already have Tadej Pogačar.
Speculation started to swirl in Belgian media after Seixas’ impressive performance at Strade Bianche last weekend, where he finished second only to Pogačar and looked every bit the potential star of the future he was expected to be.
The rumours were furthered by his brother, Nino Seixas, riding a week-long internship in the colours of UAE, but the latest information from Daniel Benson’s Substack – who spoke to the Frenchman’s agent at Paris-Nice – said that the 19-year-old hasn’t yet decided his future. Current team Decathlon CMA CGM are, of course, hoping to extend, while the big budgets of UAE and Ineos Grenadiers are reportedly vying for his signature.
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While no longer the team manager of Soudal-QuickStep, Lefevere has obviously been keeping his ear close to the ground when it comes to the biggest transfer rumours, and made his opinion on where Seixas should land clear in his latest Nieuwsblad column – anywhere but UAE Team Emirates.
“Excuse the word – or not – but Joxean Fernandez Matxin is getting a bit too horny as Sports Manager. Signing Seixas when you already have Pogačar is ostentatious behaviour,” said the former long-term team boss.
“You can have the most money in the entire World Tour, but that comes with a certain responsibility and code of ethics. If they push for Seixas – apparently his little brother was already allowed to join the…
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