Finally getting his own way
Daniel Passarella’s been a grumpy boy for a while now. First the fans start booing him midway through the Clausura campaign, then River Plate’s board insist that he offload players in the close season just because the club are in crippling amounts of debt. Then he’s forced to fly with his team to South Korea to play in a tournament he didn’t want them to be involved in, in no small part because of the massive amount of travel time involved. But now he’s finally being allowed to sign players he wants.
Last week there was Sixto Peralta, now, after Roque Santa Cruz joined Blackburn Rovers in England, El Kaiser has switched his sights to a striker he’s long admired, Rolando Zárate, Under 20 World Cup star Mauro’s 28-year-old brother. Zárate senior is currently in Mexico, where he’s been playing for Tigres and Monterrey during the last season. Or rather, not playing, because in between injuries, he’s managed only 17 matches (only 12 as a starter), and scored one solitary goal.
Zárate, whose career so far has taken in Real Madrid among others, will have to convince his former club Vélez, who still hold his registration, to let him go to River on loan, with a probable option to make the transfer permanent at a later date.
Another Rolando has been on the move already, Schiavi joining Newell’s from beaten Copa Libertadores finalists Grêmio. The former Boca man arrived in Rosario on Tuesday morning, passed his medical and put pen to paper on his new contract. He’s the eighth new face in the Newell’s squad this winter.
Diego Crosa is moving closer to a three year contract with Maccabi Haifa of Israel, just a month after telling a press conference that he loved Racing so much that he’d like to retire there. Crosa’s agent claims that his client has always maintained that whilst he’d prefer to stay, he’s prepared to move if it’s in Racing’s best interests (i.e. if the fee they’re offered is sufficient). The fee itself has yet to be disclosed, but the deal is expected to be completed within three days.
Huracán could also have a reinforcement for their return to the top flight, but it’s all a question of peso - that is, in both meanings of the word (Argentine currency, and the literal translation, ‘weight’). Antonio Barijho, one of Boca’s all-time leading scorers in international competitions, is 5 kilos overweight, but has been training to lose that and, if the contract offer is right, could join El Globo for the coming season.
Another promoted side, Olimpo, are closing in on Chilean striker Reynaldo Navia, from Mexican side Atlas, who’s also played for Monarcos Morelia, Tecos, Monterrey and América during his time in the north. He’d be Olimpo’s second Chilean signing, after defender Sebastián González.
Filed under: Argentine football, Argentine league, Argentines abroad, Domestic, Football, Football clubs, Football managers, Huracán, Newell's Old Boys, Olimpo de Bahía Blanca, Players, Pre season, Racing Club, River Plate, Transfers
Sam
I’ve wondered recently why River Plate and many other top Argentina clubs have such bad finances when they sell so many of their best young players to Europe for very large sums of money.
I’m guessing it is down to bad management/corruption from club owners & directors because any club that sold players in recent years such as Saviola, Aimar, Angel, Luch Gonzalez, Cavenagho, D’Alessandro, Higuain etc. would surely be in a much more healthy financial state.
A lot of it probably is that. Another reason is that the players sold don’t necessarily bring so much money in as you’d expect, because often the club will already have sold either all of, or a share of, their registration to an agent / company. This is a way of getting some much-needed cash in now, without losing all their best players at once. And of course, it’s the kind of ownership system which has led to Tevezgate in England because the FA / Premier League’s guidelines aren’t set up to take account of it (yet).
Marco Ruben, for instance, is now ‘owned’ 50% by MSI, the same company who own(ed?) Tevez, but will continue to play for River for now - so when he IS sold on, they’ll only get half of the fee. Of course they’ve had some money for the 50% they sold to MSI, but not necessarily as much as 50% of whatever the final fee will be if he’s sold to Europe - but it’s a way of getting in some cash fast.
But what also shouldn’t be forgotten is that a lot of things in Argentina are financially struggling or altogether bankrupt, since the 2001 economic crash. The aftershocks of the devaluation of the peso and its effect on business and society over there are still being felt, although the country is picking itself up from it all. Racing, so far, are the only sizeable club to have been declared bankrupt, though - they were rescued in 2002 by a private enterprise (set up for the purpose) who now own the club. Quite how River have managed to get so far in it, though, is a bit of a mystery…
hello, you have an excelent blog
I am from Greece and since Olympiakos and AEK are wants a lot of players from Argentina i was wondering if you have a personal opinion about Nunez ex player of Argentinos, now at Olympiakos, Ledesma of San Lorenso, Archubi of Lanus, Chelito Gonzales of Cruz Azul and Ismael Blanco of Colon de santa fe…
Thanks in advance