Amid a hot transfer market, River Plate have made a fresh start for next season. Following the recent departure of Lucas Beltrán to Fiorentina, Martín Demichelis’ side have lost another key player, substitute left-back Elías Gómez, who will join Vélez Sarsfield’s ranks.
The decision to downsize the squad and approach the League Cup in a more compact and focused manner led to this decision. El Fortín, who is looking to strengthen his team to avoid relegation to the yearly table, has invested $1 million to acquire 50% of Gómez’ pass, making him his fourth signing of the season. Vélez had already secured Facundo Cáseres, Claudio Aquino and Francisco Pizzini as reinforcements for this campaign.
River Plate completes a new departure this summer
This step also marks a new chapter in the story of Elías Gómez. The player, who recently lost his mother and sister in a tragic road accident, has signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with Vélez Sarsfield. The signing is expected to be formalized on Wednesday, leaving the defender ready for next Saturday’s season-opener against Barracas Central at the José Amalfitani Stadium.
River Plate’s decision to release Gómez was not taken lightly. The striker was not a priority in Demichelis’ plan and the increasing performance of Enzo Díaz in that position had limited Gómez’s second-half opportunities. During the year, Gómez only appeared in six games.
Recall that the defender joined River Plate in January 2022 after a $1.5 million transfer that earned the club 70% of his passes. During his time at the club, Gómez made 37 appearances, scoring a crucial goal against Alianza Lima and providing 7 assists in the 2022 Copa Libertadores. He also had the honor of winning the Professional League title with River Plate in 2023.
