Boca step up chase for Santiago Ascacibar | OneFootball

River wanted him, initiated negotiations, and it didn't happen. Now, weeks later, from the other side, they confirm there is a strong intention to start negotiating to secure his services in this transfer market. This is about Santiago Ascacibar, the 28-year-old footballer who recently became a champion with Estudiantes and whom Boca wants to sign to strengthen the midfield.

The Xeneize bunker was activated overnight in Ezeiza and opened several negotiation fronts in a summer that, so far, has seen no new faces ahead of the debut in the Torneo Apertura. And while negotiations for Kevin Serna, Ángel Romero, and Alexis Cuello are already underway, insiders assure that they will also inquire about the conditions for the versatile midfielder, who was already on Juan Román Riquelme's radar.

Although it was River that made the first move in the market, when Estudiantes still had the Trofeo de Campeones pending, which they won after the Clausura, the negotiations did not come to fruition, and now Boca is stepping in. This is not surprising: just a year ago, Boca had already picked up the phone for Ascacibar when Fernando Gago was the coach of the blue and gold team.

While the midfield is an area where Claudio Úbeda has options, the lack of a more dynamic player, one who can reach the area and even cover the right wing, is a need to be addressed. "Surely the Estudiantes jersey looks good on me, but one has to think about what's next. Now I feel like celebrating," said one of the Pincha's leaders after being a double champion of Argentine football, leaving the door open for a possible departure in the short term.

Ascacibar has a contract with the La Plata team until December 2027, and in recent inquiries, the management led by Juan Sebastián Verón communicated that they are seeking around six million dollars to release one of their stars. However, they will not put up obstacles. It remains to be seen if Boca advances and how a negotiation that, at this point in the market, appears unexpected but possible, develops.

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