Boca could pave the way for Romaña’s arrival under a new AFA rule

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La Número 12

·16 June 2026

Boca could pave the way for Romaña’s arrival under a new AFA rule

Boca is looking to add Colombian defender Jhohan Romaña, but is running into San Lorenzo’s reluctance and its financial problems. The key to completing the deal could lie in the "Simplified Contract Termination Clause" recently implemented by the Argentine Football Association.

The Xeneize keeps moving in the transfer market, and one of its targets to strengthen the center of defense has a first and last name: Jhohan Romaña. However, prying the defender away from Boedo has turned into a real chessboard where financial obstacles and institutional rivalries play a key role. Faced with a situation that seemed stuck, Boca’s board is considering using a regulatory mechanism that has been in effect since mid-2025 to complete the signing.

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Why a traditional transfer won’t work

In recent days, Boca made a formal opening offer of $3 million for the center back’s transfer. The response from San Lorenzo was not what they expected, and the reasons go beyond the purely sporting side:

Institutional reluctance: At San Lorenzo, there is a longstanding political cost to directly transferring key players to Boca.
The weight of the bans: This is the most critical factor. El Ciclón is under transfer bans due to debts. If the deal is done through a traditional transfer (club to club), the money that comes in would not go into San Lorenzo’s coffers, but would instead be automatically withheld to settle those legal obligations. In practice, the club would lose its defender without seeing a single dollar in liquidity.

Given this roadblock, the usual route would be to trigger the release clause, but it is set at $5 million. At Boca, they believe that is too high a figure for a center back if it has to be paid in cash and in a single installment.

Romaña is under contract with San Lorenzo until the end of the year.

The simplified clause could be key for Boca

Just when the negotiation seemed dead, a third legal and regulatory path emerged: the "Simplified Contract Termination Clause."

It is an agreement signed on June 26, 2025, between the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and Futbolistas Argentinos Agremiados (FAA), designed to make players’ early exits more flexible.

According to Article Four of this document, the player has the power to arrange an early departure through an agreement with his current club. What is groundbreaking about this rule is that it allows the original clause’s terms to be renegotiated without the need to trigger the full amount in cash upfront.

If the parties rely on this mechanism, the following advantages open up for Boca:

Installment payments: Instead of putting up the full $5 million at once, Boca (as the "new club") takes on the obligations but can agree on deadlines, installments, and payment methods.
Performance-based add-ons: The agreement allows the fixed exit amount to be reduced and variables tied to Romaña’s performance at Boca (matches played, titles, etc.) to be included.
Legal certainty: Boca signs the agreement as the sole party responsible for payment, giving the deal legal certainty, while San Lorenzo and the player agree on the terms of the departure.

The Xeneize wants the Colombian defender.

A scenario where everyone wins?

Applying the Simplified Clause would fit the situation perfectly. On one hand, Boca gets to sign the player it wants without having to pay $5 million in cash overnight, instead working out a payment plan and performance-based objectives.

On the other hand, San Lorenzo can soften the exit of its star: legally, it would not be a "sale to Boca," but rather a player exercising an agreed contract termination. In addition, by structuring the payments in installments and under a different legal framework, the Boedo club could better manage the arrival of that money in light of its transfer bans.

In the coming hours, Romaña’s agent and Boca’s board will try to bring this proposal to El Ciclón’s offices. If the agreement moves forward and the paperwork is submitted to the AFA and FAA (where the corresponding tax percentages of around 4% will also be paid), Jhohan Romaña could switch sides and wear blue and gold.