Vasco eye Franco Ibarra as a new defensive midfield option | OneFootball

Vasco has expanded its list of targets in the South American market and made official inquiries to learn the terms of a potential deal for defensive midfielder Franco Ibarra of Rosario Central. According to exclusive information published by the Colina 1927 profile this Friday (31), executive director Admar Lopes traveled to Buenos Aires focused on finding alternatives for the holding midfield role. The executive put the new name on the table as a precaution against the firm stance adopted by Racing in previous talks.

The Cruz-maltino side traveled focused on securing its top target, but the financial deadlock with the Avellaneda club’s board forced it to open new negotiation fronts in neighboring Argentina. The football department identified the 25-year-old player because it believes he meets all the technical requirements assessed by the analysts. One behind-the-scenes detail that helps facilitate contact is that the Rosario club’s midfielder is represented by agent Hernan Berman, the same one who handles the interests of Argentine player Santiago Sosa.

+ Twist in Argentina: Vasco aligns figures with Racing for Santiago Sosa

New option for Vasco

Vasco’s board sees the player as someone with tactical qualities similar to those of Academia’s captain, operating as a true ball-winning No. 5. Those in charge of football remain optimistic about strengthening the squad led by Pedro Emanuel, but prefer not to become dependent on a single international transfer saga in this window. The backing of investor Marcos Lamacchia is following the movement closely to make the necessary resources available and complete a package of up to five signings.

The Giant of the Hill is working quickly to beat the competition and define the framework of a future official offer in the coming days. The procedures surrounding the corporate transition with 777 Partners require the Rio club to prioritize loan deals with a pre-set purchase option so as not to compromise cash flow. The radar of Vasco’s executives in Argentina remains highly active, with parallel talks also ongoing for Colombian Kevin Castaño, who belongs to River Plate.

Who is Franco Ibarra?

Franco Ibarra is a 25-year-old midfielder developed in the youth ranks of Argentinos Juniors, the club where he stood out at professional level thanks to his marking ability and combative style. His consistent performances caught the attention of Major League Soccer, leading to his transfer to Atlanta United, where he gained international experience in U.S. soccer.

After his spell in the North American market, the defensive midfielder returned to his home country to wear the colors of Rosario Central, establishing himself as one of the key figures in the team’s central area.

+ Follow Papo na Colina on social media: Thread, Bluesky, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok and Google News.

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