Alaves president Josean Querejeta feels his club will have been disrespected if they have not been told that their on-loan left-back Theo Hernandez from Atletico Madrid has undergone a medical ahead of a summer move to Real Madrid.
Theo, 19, has had a superb season on loan at Alaves, with his performances bringing interest from many of Europe's top clubs, with both Madrid and Barcelona reported to be willing to meet his €24 million release clause this summer.
It was widely reported in the Spanish media on Monday that the France youth international had travelled to Madrid for a medical and was signing a five-year contract with the Bernabeu outfit, with a €30m fee potentially being agreed with Atletico to keep all parties happy.
Theo Hernández signing for Madrid makes today's cover. All the details here...https://t.co/E29bbdDpTt pic.twitter.com/jE0JkoO661
- AS English (@English_AS) May 9, 2017
Asked about these developments on El Transistor, Querejeta said he was "surprised" that all this would have been organised without anybody thinking to inform Alaves.
"We did not have any idea what was happening, we just learned via the media that he had done a medical," he said. "We have a good personal and club relationship [with Real Madrid], so we were a bit surprised.
"We know the player belongs to Atletico Madrid so we were surprised he would do tests for another club without anyone telling us when he is with our club at the moment. We only hear rumours in the media, nobody, not Atletico, nor Madrid, nor Barcelona, have spoken to us about him."
Querejeta said he did not want such distractions ahead of Alaves' upcoming Copa del Rey final against Barcelona at the Vicente Calderon on May 27, and added that even though his club were only small, they deserved respect.
"We understand the situation and the interests of the clubs, and the player," he said. "But all this does not help much to maintain a relaxed and balanced atmosphere before a game as important as we have on May 27.
"These things happen, but people should wait until the competition is over for things like this. We are a small club, just one year back in the Primera Division, but we must still be respected and told when a player that is with us at the moment does a medical with another club."
Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane refused to discuss the reported deal at a news conference on Tuesday ahead of his side's Champions League semifinal second leg with Atletico.
"The issue of the transfers, that will be talked about later. This is not the moment," he said. "I just focus on what we have in tomorrow's game. The other things outside that I do not talk about as the truth is they do not interest me. For me, and the players too, we are just thinking about tomorrow's game."
Ex-Atletico forward Paulo Futre told El Larguero that he was surprised Madrid president Florentino Perez would risk his club's reportedly good relationship with Atleti by pushing through the signing of a player who has played just one season at the top level.
"With the money Madrid have, they can sign anybody," Futre said. "The relationship between the clubs was very good for many years. I am surprised that Florentino would take a decision like this, which could break that good relationship.
"Madrid could go for any left-back in the world, so why go for a kid from Atleti? To break an agreement for a youngster with just one season in the top flight? I would understand it more if they were going for [Antoine] Griezmann -- a confirmed big star. I don't know why Florentino would do this."