MADRID, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Leganes forward Juan Cruz is trying to leave the club that was relegated to the Spanish second division at the end of last season and according to reports in Spain, he is going to try a new strategy to find the exit door - by requesting paternity leave.

The 25-year-old is frustrated that Leganes has asked La Liga clubs such as Rayo Vallecano, Mallorca and Osasuna 10 million euros (11.6 million US dollars) to sign him, which seems above his current market value.

Cruz hasn't played in any of Leganes' pre-season friendly games and also missed the first game of the season, which was a 1-1 draw in Huesca.

The winger has a contract with Leganes until June 2028, but according to Spanish sports paper Marca, Cruz, who is on the verge of becoming a father, has decided to try and find a way out of the club in a novel way - by asking for paternity leave.

The player's partner is due to give birth in the coming days and under Spanish law, men are entitled to 19-weeks paternity leave. If Cruz took paternity leave, that would mean Leganes would be without him for virtually half of the season, while having to pay his wages - and the club obviously doesn't want that to happen.

So far no player in the Spanish game has ever asked for paternity leave and if Cruz does that, it would set a precedent not just as someone exercising their rights, but also as a means of applying pressure. ■