Superclásico fallout: Coudet's top targets to bolster River | OneFootball

The defeat in Sunday’s Superclásico at the Monumental not only left frustration in Núñez over the poor performance of Héctor Paletta, who from the VAR did not call Darío Herrera, the main referee, to alert him that Lautaro Blanco’s shove on Lucas Martínez Quarta could have been a play worth reviewing as a possible penalty, something made clear in one of the images showing the Boca player’s recklessness. It also served as a reality check.

The footballing level of a team that was not up to a match of such importance makes it necessary to rethink and reshape the squad ahead of the next transfer window. And although there is still time left in the semester, in which River is competing to win the Apertura and finish first in its Copa Sudamericana group, in the offices at Udaondo and Figueroa Alcorta .

There are several names on River’s radar, some of them big names, others former club players, and one Uruguayan surprise. They are Nicolás Otamendi, Ángel Correa, Claudio Echeverri, Giovanni Simeone and Mauro Arambarri.

There has already been contact regarding the world champion defender, according to what Clarín has learned. And they believe that this time a match with the player could indeed happen, as he has more than once shown his desire to wear the red sash because of his love for the club. They also believe that, despite being 38, he is still going strong and can be a leader for a squad that needs important figures in defense. In fact, in the middle of the year he will play in the last World Cup of his career.

And after the tournament in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, he would leave Benfica. “Obviously I don’t want to add any extra words; I met Chacho Coudet once. I have a contract with Benfica and it ends in June, we’ll see whether I open the door to River,” “Ota” said a month ago, when he came to Argentina to join the national team camp, which played friendlies against Mauritania and Zambia in the country.

At that time, Ignacio Villarroel, River’s second vice president, was at a sports conference in Portugal and Portuguese media asked him about the issue. “We all know that Otamendi is a River fan, he has said it, he has shown it; he is an Argentina national team player, a world champion, a very interesting player to consider, but we are going to be respectful of the process, first because Nicolás is playing at Benfica and we are in the middle of the season.

“But we all know about the love that River fans have for Otamendi, and that Otamendi has for the club,” said the River executive, making it clear that he is undoubtedly a player who would interest Núñez a great deal. He added: “He is one of the greatest players in the history of the national team. River fans and Argentine fans recognize him and identify with him because he is a leader, someone who has Messi’s, Julián’s (Álvarez), everyone’s back.”

He is not the only world champion on River’s radar, which already has Franco Armani, Gonzalo Montiel, Germán Pezzella, and Marcos Acuña in the squad. Besides Otamendi, they are also targeting another player who knows how heavy the most coveted trophy is. It is Ángel Correa, an attacking midfielder who can partner a center forward or adapt to different attacking systems. He is 31, but for his arrival to happen, River will have to spend a significant amount of money. Last year he signed with Mexico’s Tigres for $9 million and is under contract until 2030.

Another player who could also give River a boost in quality in the final third is Claudio Echeverri. The Diablito (20), who was bought by the City Group, was loaned out a couple of times in Europe after making his debut for Manchester City and being unable to establish himself in Pep Guardiola’s team. He first went to Bayer Leverkusen and is now at Girona in Spain. He has been putting in standout performances, but a possible return to River is always a possibility.

In fact, there was an attempt in the summer for a loan move, based on the player’s desire, but it did not happen because the intention of those who own his registration was for him to remain in Europe. But in the next transfer window, that situation could be analyzed again.

Another former River player who came through the club’s academy and is on the radar is Giovanni Simeone. In fact, there have already been talks, and Cholo’s son would like to return to Argentina. It will not be easy, however, since he plays for Torino in Italy, with whom he has a contract until 2028. But River needs a center forward. And Gio, 30, wants to come back, according to what this newspaper has learned.

Finally, there is one name that emerged as a surprise but for whom River has already begun talks. It is Uruguayan Mauro Arambarri, who has been playing for Getafe in Spain for eight years. He is 30 and a left-footed box-to-box midfielder who can also play out wide. He played in South American and youth World Cup tournaments with his national team and has also featured for the senior side.

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