Newell’s kicked off pre-season and starts shaping Kudelka’s new squad | OneFootball

Newell’s began preseason training this Thursday ahead of the second half of 2026, in an unusual context within the Argentine calendar, with many teams about to finish their activity and head off on vacation. La Lepra returned to training after going three weeks without practicing due to its early elimination in the Apertura. The start of the Clausura still seems far off, and that will give Frank Darío Kudelka plenty of time to work, evaluate players, and wait for transfer-market moves that will significantly reshape the squad.

After an inconsistent first half of the year, Newell’s began training at the Griffa Center with almost all of the same players who finished 25 days ago. The only absences were Franco Orozco (whose loan is ending and will return to Lanús) and Gabriel Risso Patrón, who will terminate his contract, which expires in December.

While the club’s leadership continues working on possible signings and also on potential departures, the coaching staff has already started outlining the backbone of the team for a semester in which Newell’s will look to become competitive again and fight near the top of the table.

Frank Darío Kudelka on the first day of the red-and-black preseason (@newells).

One of the main focuses will be on the squad’s final makeup. With nearly two months to go before the official start of competition, the transfer market will play a decisive role. El Rojinegro needs to strengthen several areas of the field and also resolve contract situations and possible sales that could directly affect the team’s structure.

The full list of players who began preseason training:

Goalkeepers:

Midfielders:

Forwards:

Preseason has only just begun, and the outlook remains open. In the coming weeks, the situations of some players who will not be part of Kudelka’s plans will start to be defined, while the club waits for reinforcements to arrive and for youth players to move up, after performing very well in the Proyección Tournament and hoping to earn the coach’s consideration.

The positions to strengthen and the need to sell

At Newell’s, they are well aware that the squad is still missing key pieces to be fully assembled for the Clausura Tournament. The club’s leadership (the Football Committee was created) and the coaching staff are handling the transfer market and working on different fronts with priorities that have been clearly defined for several weeks.

The positions La Lepra wants to reinforce are specific: goalkeeper, right back, left-footed center back, creative midfielder, and also a forward who can offer different options in attack. Some negotiations have already begun, although the long window before the start of competition, the differing timing with other clubs, and expiring contracts mean the club has to be patient in managing its schedule.

In any case, much of the movement will also depend on departures. At Parque Independencia, they acknowledge that at least one major sale will be necessary to balance the books and generate resources for the market. Several youth players stand out as possible transfer candidates, in a context in which NOB is once again looking to its academy as a key source of income.

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