Atlético set to loan Fausto Vera to River Plate, Argentina | OneFootball

Atlético is close to finalizing the transfer of midfielder Fausto Vera to River Plate, from Argentina. The player, who joined Galo in July 2024 at the request of then-coach Gabriel Milito, is expected to return to Argentine football, as previously reported by the portal Deus Me Dibre. The information was confirmed by Argentine journalist César Luis Merlo.

According to Rádio Itatiaia, Atlético had also accepted an offer from Tigres, a club from Mexico. However, the player's desire to return to his home country prevailed.

Fausto Vera is a direct request from coach Marcelo Gallardo, who sees the midfielder as an important addition to River Plate's squad. The agreement provides for the player to be loaned until the end of the 2026 season, with a payment of US$ 500,000 (about R$ 2.8 million) to Atlético. At the end of the contract, the Argentine club will have the option to purchase set at US$ 4 million (approximately R$ 22 million at the current exchange rate).

Despite the expectations created upon his arrival, Vera was unable to establish himself consistently in the alvinegro squad. Throughout the last season, the midfielder played in just under half of Atlético's matches, starting as a regular in even fewer games, which meant he participated in less than 30% of the team's total fixtures for the year.

At 25 years old, Fausto Vera has played 59 matches for Galo since arriving in Belo Horizonte, totaling 3,914 minutes on the pitch, with three goals scored and one assist. The midfielder won the Minas Gerais state championship in 2025.

If the deal is finalized, the Argentine will have the opportunity to regain prominence in his home country, while Atlético frees up space in the squad and eases the payroll for the remainder of the season. According to influencer Lucas Tanaka, just with the player's salary, Atlético will save around R$ 7.8 million in 2026.

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