Estudiantes’ stance on a possible Santiago Ascacíbar move to River | OneFootball

With just under a month to go before the transfer market opens in Argentina, Marcelo Gallardo has drawn up a list of reinforcements for River looking ahead to 2026. One of the most striking names on the list is Santiago Ascacíbar, captain and star of Estudiantes. According to TyC Sports, Estudiantes has already made its stance clear on a possible sale of the 28-year-old midfielder to the Núñez team.

River had already shown interest in the "Ruso" earlier this year, and even Enzo Pérez, his former teammate in 2024, had done his best to convince him. However, Estudiantes was surprised by the contact from Mariano Barnao (a trusted associate of Gallardo) and his representative in recent hours, as the relationship between the two institutions did not end on good terms.

The straw that broke the camel's back was the recall of Sebastián Boselli, crucial for Eduardo Domínguez, just hours before Estudiantes was to play the International Super Cup against Vélez in July. But a few days earlier, when Marcelo Gallardo was asked about the strategy he used against Barcelona in the 2015 Club World Cup and it was compared to Alejandro Sabella's in 2009, the "Muñeco" said that there is "another culture" at León, a statement that was interpreted within Estudiantes as a form of disdain.

Furthermore, in February of this year, when the agreement between Estudiantes and Foster Gillett was a recurring topic in football conversations, Stefano Di Carlo, now president of River and then secretary-general, criticized Juan Sebastián Verón, saying that "everything he says or does generates distrust."

Moreover, many of the directors at Estudiantes are not convinced about strengthening a rival with a player of Ascacíbar's caliber, so they prefer that if he leaves, the sale be to a foreign club. In this regard, there have been some inquiries from Brazil, the United States, and Europe. The club would be willing to let him go for five million dollars. It is worth noting that his contract expires in December 2027.

Until Estudiantes finishes its participation in the Torneo Clausura (on Monday at 5 PM they play the semifinals against Gimnasia), there won't be many updates regarding the player's future, as he is currently 100% focused on winning his fourth title with the institution.

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