Superclásico fallout: top signings Coudet wants for River | OneFootball

The defeat in Sunday’s Superclásico at the Monumental not only left anger in Núñez over the poor performance of Héctor Paletta, who from the VAR did not call Darío Herrera, the main referee, to alert him that Lautaro Blanco’s shove on Lucas Martínez Quarta could have been a play worth reviewing as a possible penalty, something that became clear in one of the images showing the Boca player’s recklessness. It also delivered a dose of reality.

The football level of a team that did not rise to the occasion in such an important match makes it necessary to rethink and reshape the squad ahead of the next transfer window. And although there is still time left before the semester ends, with River competing to win the Apertura and finish first in its Copa Sudamericana group, in the offices at Udaondo and Figueroa Alcorta .

There are several names on River’s radar, some of them big ones, others former club players, and a Uruguayan surprise. They are Nicolás Otamendi, Ángel Correa, Claudio Echeverri, Giovanni Simeone and Mauro Arambarri.

There has already been contact regarding the World Cup-winning defender, according to Clarín. And they believe that this time the match with the player could finally happen, as he has more than once expressed his desire to wear the red sash because of his love for the club. They also believe that, despite being 38, he is still going strong and can be a leader for a squad that needs important figures in defense. Without going any further, in the middle of the year he will play in the last World Cup of his career.

And after the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States, he would leave Benfica. “Obviously I don’t want to add any extra words, I met Chacho Coudet once. I have a contract with Benfica and it ends in June, we’ll see whether I open the door to River,” “Ota” said a month ago, when he came to Argentina to join the national team camp, which played friendlies against Mauritania and Zambia in the country.

At that time, Ignacio Villarroel, River’s second vice president, was at a sports conference in Portugal, and the Portuguese media asked him about the matter. “We all know that Otamendi is a River fan, he has said it, he has shown it, he is an Argentina national team player, a world champion, a very interesting player to consider, but we are going to be respectful of the process, first because Nicolás is playing for Benfica and we are in the middle of the season.

“But we all know about the love River fans have for Otamendi, and Otamendi has for the club,” said the River official, making it clear that he is undoubtedly a player of great interest in Núñez. He added: “He is one of the greatest players in the history of the national team. River fans and Argentine fans recognize him and identify with him because he is a leader, one who protects Messi, Julián (Álvarez), everyone.”

He is not the only world champion on River’s radar, a squad that already includes Franco Armani, Gonzalo Montiel, Germán Pezzella and Marcos Acuña. In addition to Otamendi, they are also targeting another player who knows the weight of the most coveted trophy. It is Ángel Correa, an attacking midfielder who can partner a center forward or adapt to different attacking systems. He is 31, but for his arrival to happen, River will have to spend a significant amount of money. Last year he signed with Tigres of Mexico for 9 million dollars and is under contract until 2030.

Another player who could also give River a boost in quality in the final third is Claudio Echeverri. The Diablito (20), who was bought by the City Group, was loaned out a couple of times in Europe after making his debut for Manchester City and failing to establish himself in Pep Guardiola’s team. He first went to Bayer Leverkusen and is now at Girona in Spain. He is putting in standout performances, but a possible return to River is always in the background.

In fact, there was an attempt in the summer to bring him in on loan, driven by the player’s desire, but it did not happen because those who own his rights wanted him to remain in Europe. However, in the next transfer window that situation could be analyzed again.

Another former River player developed in the club’s youth academy who is being watched is Giovanni Simeone. In fact, there have already been talks, and Cholo’s son would like to return to Argentina. It will not be easy, though, given that he plays for Torino in Italy, with whom he is under contract until 2028. But River needs a center forward. And Gio, 30, wants to come back, according to this newspaper.

Lastly, there is a name that emerged as a surprise but for whom River has already started talks. It is Uruguayan Mauro Arambarri, who has been playing for Getafe in Spain for eight years. He is 30 and is a left-footed box-to-box midfielder who can also play out wide. He played in South American and youth World Cup tournaments with his national team and also made appearances for the senior side.

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