Jefferson Montero’s ‘sub-loan’ transfer has baffled everyone

A... what?

Remember Jefferson Montero? He gave Calum Chambers 90 minutes of hell once at the Liberty Stadium. The diminutive Ecuadorian winger's Swansea City career peaked that night as he has struggled to get games since. In the summer, he was loaned out to Spanish club Getafe, but had similar problems there and only played four times before moving again. And his latest move has confused quite a lot of people. Swansea City today tweeted that Montero would be joining Ecaudorian club C.S. Emelec on a "sub-loan." https://twitter.com/SwansOfficial/status/968439425192595456 The sub-loan is not a deal we regularly see in football, hence the confusion. Surely the Getafe loan has been cancelled and a new loan has begun? Not exactly. https://twitter.com/JesusReturnss/status/968439874578677760 https://twitter.com/thatsagoal/status/968441479541686273 https://twitter.com/SanDiegoSwans/status/968442817826574337 https://twitter.com/OLBG/status/968441087487631361 https://twitter.com/LeeStobbs06/status/968441169859481601 https://twitter.com/MarcoReubs/status/968448627629809665 The idea is similar to subletting a flat; the club temporarily using the player loans him out to another club. Swansea have stated that he will remain on Getafe's books for the rest of the season, but will go out on loan to Emelec in Ecuador, where he started his career. So, he's still a Swansea player, and a Getafe loanee, and also an Emelec loanee. It's quite a lot to get your head round, admittedly. It throws up the question of why the Getafe loan wasn't cancelled, and a loan between Swansea and Emelec was not agreed without Getafe acting as the middle man. The only reason, I suppose, is that Getafe may want to recall him and Swansea are happy to let the Madrid club have first dibs on the winger if they wish.