Those who’ve only stumbled across this website in the last week or so could be forgiven for thinking that Carlos Tevez’s move to Manchester United was the most tediously drawn-out transfer saga involving an Argentine player of this summer. Forgiven, but they’d be wrong. Juan Román Riquelme returned to Villarreal after a loan period at Boca Juniors way back in June, a full two months ago. Still Boca want him back. And still, it seems, that dream isn’t yet dead.
Riquelme announced yesterday that he was ‘a fan of Boca and I want to return. I want everything to be very clear. If they respect [a hypothetical] contract I’m inclined to play for free in the third year. But up until now nothing’s changed, no-one’s called me.’
Boca’s response was instant, with director Pedro Pompilio announcing on Argentine radio on Thursday that the club had made Villarreal a ‘very sizeable’ offer for Riquelme, ‘very sizeable for Argentine football, and also on a world scale.’ Whilst also admitting that finances in Argentina, and therefore Boca, didn’t allow local clubs to compete with those in Europe for transfer fees, Pompilio seemed simultaneously to be hinting that Boca were doing exactly that.
The offer, according to the Boca director, is for a two year contract, after which Riquelme (who will be 30 in two years’ time) will be entirely free to make up his mind where to move, or whether to continue at Boca – hence the pronouncement from the man himself, above. Boca have asked the AFA and the other clubs to allow them an extra week to try and get the transfer through. Whether they do, whether this is just a smokescreen, or whether they are in the end outbidded by a European club, we shall see. But this saga’s looked almost over before, so my advice would be: don’t hold your breath.
Update: I suppose one way to make it stop was to complain about how much it was dragging on. A few hours after this story went online, Boca Juniors president Mauricio Macri announced that the offer they’d made Villarreal, €12 million, had not been enough (the Spanish club want €17.5 million), and that negotiations had, finally, ended. Where Riquelme goes next is still unclear, but it won’t be back to Buenos Aires.
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I’m fed up with it. I wish him a long life outside the football pitch. I’m tired of hearing something new about this topic in the TV. Is the only thing we should talk about? what about violence in stadiums? what about other players, doing a great job in our ligue? Enough of Riquelme PLEASE!!!
Well, it ain’t over yet.
Marca reports that there is an agreement in principle for him to join Atletico Madrid.
Not meaning to cause further pyschic pain to Noe or anyone else, but the news that France Football are opening up their Ballon d’Or (aka European Footballer of the Year) award to players active anywhere in the world, and adding more than 40 non-European electors to the pool (bringing the total to 96) should mean that Riquelme has a decent chance to finish in this year’s Top Ten (he would be in my personal Top Five, and I wouldn’t be outraged were he to make the Top Three (with Kaka and Messi)).
Any other nominations for Argentina (or South America)-based players that should definitely be on the shortlist of 50 names?
I’d have thought for longevity if nothing else, Sao Paulo ‘keeper Rogerio Ceni might make the top 50. As, on current form, must Independiente striker Germán Denis. Anyone have more suggestions?