River Plate vice-president in Portugal, Otamendi in focus | OneFootball

River Plate vice-president Ignacio Villarroel has shown openness to a possible return of centre-back Nicolás Otamendi to Argentina, although he denied the existence of formal negotiations with the player. The official commented on the current situation of the Benfica defender.

"We all know Otamendi is a River Plate supporter. He is a world champion and, of course, a very interesting player to consider, but we are going to respect the process. Nicolás is playing for Benfica and we are in the middle of the season. We all know the love River Plate fans have for him".

Although he stressed that Otamendi’s return "is not, at this moment, on the table", Villarroel praised the player’s mentality and character: "River Plate fans, but above all Argentine fans, identify a lot with him because he is a leader who defends all his teammates".

The official also reinforced the club’s admiration for the centre-back and the possibility of a return in the future: "He is a very interesting player and one to consider", he said during an event bringing together the worlds of sport and business in Cascais.

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