Radio Gol
·21 January 2026
Chimy Ávila turns down River, wants to join Boca: “He feels at home”

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Yahoo sportsRadio Gol
·21 January 2026

In recent days, the possible return of Ezequiel Ávila to Argentine football to become Boca’s new signing in 2026 has been gaining more and more momentum. As the transfer window unfolds and there are still no major developments, his agent has broken the silence once again and revealed a fact that was completely unknown until now: he turned down the chance to play for River.
A few days ago, he had already spoken publicly and provided details that helped clarify his situation. In this regard, Carlos Bilicich gave an exclusive interview to AZZ and made it clear what his and the player’s stance is, as Ávila is still playing for Real Betis, waiting to find out if Boca will make a strong move or if his future will remain in Spain.
The truth is that, in a phone conversation with the streaming channel, Ávila’s agent stated: “At the beginning of last year, we said no to River when they showed interest.” To give more details about that situation, which had not come to light until now, he also said: “But for other reasons. There were things that didn’t add up for us, I think it was with the previous management.”
This time, referring to the other side and with the concrete interest from Juan Román Riquelme, Bilicich gave a nod to Boca. “Chimy can take on the challenge of Boca. He would like to wear that shirt at some point. It’s a place where he feels identified,” he expressed. “There is always willingness and we are here to do what’s best for the player,” he added afterwards.
However, he took a few seconds to make a simple but forceful clarification regarding the rumors that are keeping everyone on edge. “If there really is a concrete, solid offer, I wouldn’t see any problem with Betis letting him go,” he said, referring to the need for a formal offer to be made. “We are always available,” he insisted once again.
Finally, he also spoke about his possible departure from Real Betis and the salary that Boca would have to pay. “Those are numbers they can handle,” he replied without hesitation. Not stopping there, he doubled down and stated: “Those are numbers I’ve seen them pay for players who, without disrespecting anyone, have less experience and far fewer goals.”
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.









































