Pimenta: "Lukebakio is extraordinary; hope to bring in wing reinforcements in the winter transfer window."

Sevilla's head coach Pimenta recently gave an interview where he discussed some of the team's players, notably praising Lukebakio.

Additionally, Pimenta mentioned the need for wing reinforcements in the winter transfer window.  
 
How would you rate your Sevilla?
"First, this isn’t my Sevilla—it's our Sevilla. It belongs to everyone: the players, fans, management, the media, and everyone who wants Sevilla to improve. I'd give us an average score. I think we're growing, and my players have a lot of room for improvement. By the end of the season, we need to be better than we are now."

On the injuries of Nyland, Badé, and Kouassi
"Nyland has an MCL injury—not too serious, but he'll be out for four to five weeks. Badé and Kouassi have minor injuries, expected to take one to two weeks to recover. Thankfully, there’s a break in November, so we’ll see if they can recover and regain form during that period."

On Lokonga
"Lokonga's physical condition isn’t ideal, and continuous play would overburden him. So he won’t play in the King’s Cup. I want him to rest and be in top shape for the game against Real Sociedad. I really like Lokonga; he's like a metronome—his presence makes everything smoother. It’s unfortunate he got injured soon after joining, but he quickly showed his quality once he was back. He’s only 25, still in the upward phase of his career. I think he's a responsible, outstanding talent."

On Iheanacho  
"Iheanacho has been excellent in training. The reason he hasn’t had many chances is that he’s still getting accustomed to my tactical approach. He joined the team late and missed preseason training, so he’s learning my tactics during the season. Some may see this as an excuse, but it’s just the reality. Isak Romero has been performing well, so Iheanacho will have to wait for his chance. I planned to give him time against Barcelona the other day, but Suso’s injury forced me to change plans. Although he hasn’t had many opportunities, I know he’s a capable player and will certainly get more chances."

On Lukebakio 
"Lukebakio is an exceptional player, and I actually knew him years ago. Back when I was coaching Barcelona's youth team against Anderlecht’s youth team, Lukebakio was on the other side and left a strong impression. I knew back then that he was destined for success, and now he’s become a remarkable player. When we reunited, I told him, 'Dodi, you’re a game-changer, a special talent. You can’t just go through the motions like other players—you need to set high standards for yourself. Share your goals with me so I can help you fully unlock your potential.' Lukebakio chose to take on the high-level challenges we discussed. His impressive performances aren’t because of anything special I did; it’s simply because he’s naturally that good."

On renewing your contract shortly after signing 
"The chairman and I discussed this for a few weeks; it wasn’t a sudden decision. He’s seen and appreciated the efforts of my coaching team, so he decided to give us more security in our work. I’m very happy with this extension because it allows me to keep focusing on what I want to achieve. The club knows that what we need most right now is stability."

On the winter transfer window 
"You know I don’t like to discuss transfers much, but I really think we’re short on wide players. Ocampos left in the summer, Navas will retire this winter, and Ejuke is seriously injured… We definitely need new reinforcements on the wings. Although the club’s budget is tight this year, I believe there will be players willing to come play for Sevilla."