Armani back in full training, gearing up for his River return | OneFootball

Santiago Beltrán has kept no less than three clean sheets in his three matches as River’s goalkeeper and is coming off his best performance in the First Division. The security provided by the 21-year-old gave Marcelo Gallardo the peace of mind needed to wait for Franco Armani’s recovery. Now, the world champion has rejoined training, and a question arises: will the captain return against Tigre?

El Pulpo started the work week training alongside his teammates after overcoming a tear in one of his calves and the subsequent inflammation of the Achilles tendon in that same right leg. This is the first time he has been able to do so since his muscle injury, suffered on Sunday, January 4, at the start of River’s preseason in San Martín de los Andes.

Although he is the undisputed owner of the position, the Muñeco wants to give him the necessary time to regain his rhythm and reach his best physical condition after a month without being able to train normally. For this reason, Armani could miss the match against Tigre and aim for a return against Argentinos, next Thursday, February 11, for the fifth round of the Torneo Apertura.

If everything goes as planned, Beltrán will play his fourth consecutive match before handing back the biggest goal in the world to the captain and leader of this River 2026. Of course, his good performances not only allow Armani more time, but also position him as the first substitute, a spot he will have to fight for, head-to-head, with Ezequiel Centurión, who has now recovered from the wrist fracture he suffered at the end of his loan with Independiente Rivadavia.

Will River look for a goalkeeper for 2027?

At 39 years old, Armani has a contract until December 2026. For now, there are no ongoing negotiations for a renewal, and in Núñez, they are considering the possibility that the goalkeeper himself may decide to end his cycle at the club, or even retire from football altogether.

Given this scenario, and after the departure of Jeremías Ledesma, River is already considering searching for a goalkeeper for next season. Beltrán, who will be 22 in 2027, and Centurión, who returned to be El Pulpo’s backup, are the only two goalkeepers currently confirmed for next year.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.