Newell’s get pre-season under way and start shaping Kudelka’s squad | OneFootball

Newell’s began preseason training this Thursday ahead of the second half of 2026, in an unusual context for the Argentine calendar, with many teams about to finish their activity and head off on vacation. La Lepra returned to training after three weeks without practicing following their early elimination in the Apertura. The start of the Clausura still seems far off, and that will give Frank Darío Kudelka plenty of time to work, assess players, and wait for transfer market moves that will significantly reshape the squad.

After an uneven first half of the year, Newell’s started training at Centro Griffa with almost all of the same players who finished 25 days ago. The only absences were Franco Orozco (his loan is ending and he will return to Lanús) and Gabriel Risso Patrón, who will terminate his contract, which runs until December.

While the club’s leadership continues working on possible signings and also on potential departures, the coaching staff has already begun outlining the foundation of the team for a semester in which Newell’s will look to become competitive again and fight for the top spots.

Frank Darío Kudelka on the first day of preseason for the red-and-black side (@newells).

One of the main focuses will be on the final makeup of the squad. With nearly two months to go before the official start of competition, the transfer market will play a decisive role. El Rojinegro needs to strengthen different areas of the field and also resolve contract situations and possible sales that could directly affect the team’s structure.

The full list of players who started preseason:

Goalkeepers:

Midfielders:

Forwards:

Preseason has only just begun, and the outlook remains open. In the coming weeks, the situations of some players who will not be part of Kudelka’s plans will start to be defined, while the club waits for reinforcements to arrive and for youth players to move up, as they have been performing very well in the Torneo Proyección and will try to earn the coach’s consideration.

The positions to reinforce and the need to sell

At Newell’s, they are clear that the squad is still missing key pieces to be fully shaped for the Clausura Tournament. The club’s leadership (the Football Commission was created) and the coaching staff are handling the transfer market and working on different fronts with priorities that have been clearly defined for several weeks.

The positions La Lepra wants to strengthen are specific: goalkeeper, right-back, left-sided center-back, creative midfielder, and also a forward who can provide more attacking options. Some negotiations have already begun, although the wide margin before the start of the competition, the different situations at other clubs, and expiring contracts mean the club will have to be patient with its timing.

In any case, much of the movement will also depend on departures. At Parque Independencia, they acknowledge that at least one major sale will be necessary to balance the finances and generate resources for the market. Several youth players appear to have a chance of being transferred, in a context where NOB is once again looking to its academy as a key source of income.

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