Otamendi's current stats amid rumours of a move to River | OneFootball

A new transfer window is getting closer and closer in Argentine football. And one of the clubs awaiting it most anxiously is River, which has been going through a truly turbulent stretch that led to Marcelo Gallardo’s resignation and Eduardo Coudet’s arrival as his replacement.

After the defeat in the Superclásico against Boca at the Monumental Stadium, the fans’ demands intensified. This came on top of an inconsistent start in the Copa Sudamericana and a lack of alternatives in both the starting lineups and in-game substitutions. As a result, several possible reinforcements are already being considered.

One of them is Nicolás Otamendi, the experienced 38-year-old center back and world champion with the Argentina National Team in Qatar 2022, who is nearing the end of his current contract with Benfica. At the same time, it is well known that the defender who came through Vélez’s youth academy is a River fan.

In recent hours, the former Porto, Atlético Mineiro, Valencia, and Manchester City player opened the door to River for the first time in a concrete and emphatic way. The center back, who is preparing to represent Argentina in another World Cup, is genuinely weighing the possibility of returning to Argentine football to play for the club from Núñez.

In any case, it is no minor detail that Benfica, the General’s current team, will do everything possible to keep him and extend the contract that expires next June 30. Beyond Otamendi’s advanced age, he has managed to become a true leader and key figure for the Eagles, who have no intention of letting him leave.

At the same time, Otamendi has other interested clubs, so the idea for the La Scaloneta player is to wait until the end of the current season before making a final decision. River, meanwhile, and taking into account the current situation in its back line, will have as its main objective the addition of at least one center back.

Otamendi’s numbers at Benfica

Nicolás Otamendi has recorded 15 goals and 7 assists in 231 official matches wearing the Benfica shirt, the club he joined for the 2020/2021 season.

KEY FACTS

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