Cristian Fernández

HOW ACQUIRED: Signed via discovery on February 7, 2014.

Professional: Began his career with hometown club Racing Santander, playing for its reserve team from 2003-07 and earning promotion to the first team in 2007 … Loaned to Las Palmas in the second division during the 2007-08 season … Broke through with 29 appearances for Racing Santander in La Liga in 2009-10 and also saw regular minutes in 2010-11 and 2011-12 … Totaled 90 appearances in six La Liga seasons with Racing … Moved to Almeria in the second division for the 2012-13 season and started 36 of 42 games in helping the club to a third-place finish and eventual promotion to La Liga … Almeria beat Fernández’s former club, Las Palmas, in extra time in first round of promotion playoffs, then beat Girona 4-0 on aggregate in second round, and Fernández played all 390 minutes of the playoffs … Left the club in December 2013 after making just four appearances during the first half of the 2013-14 La Liga season.