River to target Nicolás Otamendi next window: defender decided | OneFootball

Keeping a close eye on the contractual situation of the Argentina national team player, River will make an approach to learn more about the outlook.

Nicolás Otamendi’s fondness for River Plate is public knowledge. As a result, for quite some time now, every transfer window has brought up the possibility that the defender, who won the World Cup with the Argentina national team in Qatar 2022, could return to Argentina to wear River’s shirt.

At present, with the 38-year-old veteran center-back’s contract with Benfica nearing its end, hopes of signing him have resurfaced in Núñez. In fact, an approach to Otamendi and his camp has been planned in order to learn the terms and also their stance regarding his future.

As a first step, Stefano Di Carlo, Eduardo Coudet and company will try to get precise information on whether Otamendi has any desire to return to Argentine football and, more specifically, to wear River’s shirt. But the truth is that the outlook does not look easy at all when it comes to a potential signing.

To begin with, it should be pointed out that Otamendi and his camp have already stated that River never, in any transfer window, made an approach to try to persuade him or to ask about terms. In this way, all kinds of rumors about a formal proposal from River in any transfer window are denied.

On the other hand, it is no minor detail that, even though Otamendi currently has only three months left on his contract in Portugal, he is practically set on not returning to Argentina. His desire is, at least in the short term, to stay away from domestic football, which makes things very difficult for River.

Ultimately, it would take a truly radical turn for there to be any chance of the defender, who came through Vélez Sarsfield’s youth ranks and also had spells with Porto, Atlético Mineiro, Valencia, and Manchester City, changing his mind and giving the green light to become a River player after the World Cup.

Otamendi’s contract at Benfica

Currently, Nicolás Otamendi is under contract with Benfica until June 30, 2026. In other words, there are only three months left on the defender’s current deal.

Nicolás Otamendi’s career

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