Mourinho on Otamendi joining River after World Cup: “He's entitled” | OneFootball

The Portuguese coach’s words that will ignite River fans’ excitement.

If the Portuguese press had already been suggesting that Nicolás Otamendi and River were in very advanced talks for the world champion defender’s return to Argentine football, the statements made by José Mourinho at the press conference he gave this Friday only served to confirm it.

The Benfica manager, who has yet to define his future for next season, admitted that his captain, whose contract expires next June 30, has earned the right to choose his own destiny when asked about the talks he is reportedly holding with River’s board.

“I think it depends only on him. There are people who have the right to choose their future based on everything they have built in football. Otamendi is one of them. He played his last match with his national team on Argentine soil by his own decision, he will end his career with the Argentina national team after the World Cup by his own decision, and it will be his decision whether to play for River Plate or stay at Benfica,” began the Portuguese coach, who has been mentioned as a possible replacement for Álvaro Arbeloa at Real Madrid.

And he added: “Everything is in his hands. The level he has shown throughout the season, with very few injuries and absences, with a constant presence, gives him enough credibility that there is no need to look at his ID, to forget his age and look at his performances. He is a great player and his quality does not change from one year to the next.”

At Benfica there will always be an intention to renew Otamendi’s contract

Because of the very right José Mourinho referred to in his press conference, Benfica will always have an offer on the table in case Nicolás Otamendi wants to stay at the club for one more season. That was the case in mid-2025, when there was also talk of his possible arrival at River; and it will be no exception to try to keep him until mid-2027.

The difference, according to what is known in both Portugal and Argentina, is that the defender has already reportedly decided to bring his long stay in Europe to an end, where he also wore the shirts of Porto, Valencia and Manchester City, shaping a five-star career that began at Vélez and could end in the shirt of the Millonario, a club he has openly supported as a fan.

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