Nicolás Otamendi signs contract, joins River after 2026 World Cup | OneFootball

Nicolás Otamendi is River’s new player. The 38-year-old defender signed an 18-month contract this Friday that will keep him tied to the Núñez club. He will be the fifth world champion in the “Millonario” squad.

The center back, who came through Vélez’s youth academy, will join the team once he finishes his participation in the World Cup. He arrives as a free agent after his spell with Benfica of Portugal.

“This Friday, May 29, the defender signed his deal with the Club, which will run from July 1, 2026 to December 31, 2027,” River wrote on its official website.

They added: “The contract signing took place together with President Stefano Di Carlo in the Institution’s presidential office.”

Otamendi, a well-known River fan, will return to Argentine football after 16 years abroad. The only club he had played for in the country until now was Vélez, where he was crowned champion of the 2009 Clausura Tournament.

The defender arrives after a six-year spell in Portuguese football, where he won a league title, a League Cup, and two Super Cups, while also becoming captain and one of the dressing room’s main leaders.

He also played for Porto of Portugal, Atlético Mineiro of Brazil, Valencia of Spain, and Manchester City of England.

In this way, River will add its fifth world champion to the squad alongside Franco Armani, Gonzalo Montiel, Germán Pezzella, and Marcos Acuña.

Meanwhile, Otamendi had already stated that he will retire from the national team once the World Cup ends. As an Argentina player, the defender won two Copa América titles (2021, 2024), the 2022 Finalissima, and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

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