Joel Campbell rejected on X a claim by Raúl Pinto that he had said he wanted to go to Saprissa, turning a club dispute into a public exchange as Alajuelense’s board election campaign unfolds. Campbell said he had not made any declarations for months and accused Pinto of using his name for political campaigning.

The forward’s response came after Pinto spoke about him in an interview with Teletica Deportes Radio, where the former Alajuelense president said he was hurt that a player the club had supported through recovery now allegedly wanted to join Saprissa and had always identified with its rival. Pinto framed the issue as another sign of mistakes in the club’s sporting management and argued that Alajuelense should not bring in players historically tied to Deportivo Saprissa.

Campbell answered in direct language. “No he dado ninguna declaración desde hace meses y ahora quiere hacer campaña política con mi nombre,” he wrote, before adding, “No me tomo nada personal… pero este tipo de mentiras no.” The exchange matters because Campbell’s name has become part of a wider internal fight at Alajuelense, one that stretches beyond one player’s future and into the politics of the club itself.

Pinto’s comments also touched on Michael Barrantes, using both cases to argue that the current sporting leadership has made poor decisions. That criticism lands in a sensitive moment for Alajuelense, which is going through an electoral campaign for its board of directors and is still sorting through the aftermath of the departure of Óscar Ramírez and the arrival of Ismael Rescalvo.

For Campbell, the immediate issue is simpler and more personal: he still has not publicly confirmed where he will play next. After the end of Clausura 2026, he was left out of Alajuelense and has continued without defining his destination for Torneo de Apertura 2026. Until that changes, his future will remain a talking point for both football and politics in the same breath.