Marcelo Gallardo eyes Santiago Ascacíbar, River open talks to sign him | OneFootball

After being eliminated in the round of 16 of the 2025 Clausura Tournament, River Plate is focused on the coming year. Awaiting confirmation on whether they will compete in the Libertadores or the Sudamericana, Marcelo Gallardo is making changes and seeking reinforcements to face the dual competition in 2026.

In this context, Santiago Ascacíbar is one of the potential additions for the Millonario in this summer transfer market. The midfielder from Estudiantes de La Plata is of interest to the Muñeco, and the newly appointed management of Stéfano Di Carlo is accelerating efforts to secure him.

The Pincha midfielder has only one year left on his contract, and the Millonario is advancing with that advantage. Ten days ago, the first contact was made between the Núñez club's management and the midfielder. This Monday, a key meeting was held at the Más Monumental Stadium to move closer to an agreement with the player.

From the midfielder's camp, the operation is highlighted as 'very viable.' Thus, the 28-year-old player, with past experiences at Stuttgart, Hertha Berlin, and Cremonese, could stop wearing the Estudiantes jersey to have his second experience at a club in Argentine football.

Meanwhile, Eduardo Domínguez's team remains in the fight for the 2025 Clausura Tournament. There will be a platense classic in the semifinals, but a defeat would complicate Ascacíbar's continuity at the club due to having the highest salary on the team. In this way, Estudiantes would lose the chance to participate in international competitions next year, a tough blow to the professional squad's budget.

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