Kevin López: Snubbed Colón, misled Instituto, joins Atlético's rivals | OneFootball

The transfer market added a high-voltage chapter with the confirmation that Kevin López will be the new player for San Martín de Tucumán. The 24-year-old midfielder, whose rights belong to Independiente, joins the “Santo” under a deal that highlights the Avellaneda club’s urgency to find him a new destination: a one-year loan, free of charge, with a purchase option. However, his arrival at La Ciudadela comes after a series of failed negotiations that caused significant discontent in Santa Fe and Córdoba.

Weeks ago, both Colón and Instituto had advanced talks to sign the midfielder. In both cases, the deals were structured as paid loans, which would have meant a financial benefit for the “Rojo.” However, the player’s indecision and complications over the final terms ultimately blew up the relationships between the clubs. This “problem” left López isolated at Independiente, forcing his representatives to desperately seek a new destination for him, which ended up lowering the cost of his departure to the current free loan.

José Alonso, president of Colón, expressed strong displeasure over Kevin López’s move to Instituto de Córdoba, calling the situation an “institutional aberration” and an event that “taints Argentine football.” Alonso stated that the player had a closed deal with Colón and had even shown up to train, and that he contacted the president of Instituto to express his dissatisfaction, although the latter distanced himself from the matter and asserted that the player’s representatives had not communicated that the deal with the Barrio Centenario club was about to be finalized.

The outcome of this saga adds an extra dose of football spice: Kevin López had an important and recent stint at Atlético Tucumán. The fact that he now chooses to wear the jersey of their classic rival, San Martín, has caused a strong reaction in northern Argentina. With previous experience at Quilmes and Defensa y Justicia as well, the midfielder will look to relaunch his career with the “Ciruja,” after a summer marked by leadership conflicts and last-minute urgency.

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