River Plate midfielder Enzo Fernández will be transferred to Benfica from Portugal, when his participation in the Copa Libertadores ends against Vélez, for a figure close to 18 million dollars for 75 percent of the pass.
River will receive free of charge a figure close to 14 million dollars and will keep 25 percent of the economic rights, for which the amount of the exit clause of 20 million would be applied as a reference for the operation.
As confirmed by official sources, the clubs reached an agreement in the last hours so that Fernández can play the Libertadores, and the 21-year-old player will sign a five-year contract starting June 30.
At the same time, the negotiations for the hiring of Colombian Miguel Borja will close in the next few hours when River Plate and Junior from Barranquilla agree on the amount or percentage of the pass that corresponds to Palmeiras from Brazil, owner of half of the economic rights of the striker.
River agreed to pay five million dollars for all of Borja’s record, which as soon as he has the approval of the clubs, he will travel to Buenos Aires to sign a three-year contract and join Marcelo Gallardo’s squad.
Borja will be the first reinforcement of the squad to take the place of Julián Alvarez, who after playing the round of 16 of the Libertadores will go to Manchester City in England, for 20 million dollars, which will enable another contract from abroad after the closing of the book of passes
In this sense, negotiations are open for Luis Suárez, who must respond before the end of the month to River’s offer and that of Matías Arezzo, the 19-year-old Uruguayan who plays for the recently relegated Granada from Spain.
At the same time as for the local market, the names for which there are contacts are Colón’s midfielder, Rodrigo Aliendro, who will be released on June 30, and Diego Valoyes from Talleres de Córdoba.
Regarding the activity of the squad that trained this morning at the Ezeiza venue, the injured players Matías Suárez and Milton Casco were required to concentrate for the weekend and this Thursday Gallardo decides whether to summon them.
Suárez, from Córdoba, had a tear in his right soleus muscle on May 4, and then a synovitis that delayed his return to work after returning to competition last semester after knee surgery. Lateral Casco suffered a blow to the right calf quarter of an hour into the match against Alianza Lima, on May 25, and later the studies determined that there was a tear that left him without playing at the beginning of the season.
As for the starting team that comes from beating Unión 5-1, it would have the return of Paulo Díaz, who after the absence of the first four dates due to the call for the tour of the Chilean National Team would return for Leandro González Pírez.
Thus, the possible starting team that will also be the base to play the first leg against Vélez Sarfield for the Copa Libertadores round of 16 the following week would be with: Armani; Herrera or Mammana, Díaz, Martínez, Elías Gómez; De La Cruz, E. Pérez, E. Fernández, Paradela; Alvarez, Romero.
In any case, Gallardo bets on having the entire squad available, including Felipe Peña Biafore, who added minutes in reserve the weekend after the stoppage due to ligament surgery, since an accumulation of games without rest is coming during the next 30 days.
River will play an average of one game every three days from next Saturday when they face Lanús, until July 24 when they visit Aldosivi in Mar del Plata for the tenth date of the Professional Soccer League (LPF) tournament. The accumulation of games without rest is due to the fact that he has scheduled six matches in the local tournament, the crossing with Vélez for Libertadores, and the round of 16 of the Argentine Cup.
