Boca Juniors are currently going through something of a miserable post-season tour of the United States – a few evenings ago they lost 1-0 to Los Angeles Galaxy and on Wednesday night they crashed 3-0 against Seattle Sounders (you can see the goals here). That’s largely a reserve side though, lead by outgoing manager Roberto Pompei, and back in Buenos Aires the incoming Claudio Borghi is getting down to what he wants his squad to look like. Juan Román Riquelme and Martín Palermo are both to be offered contract extensions, as is Sebastián Battaglia.
José Beraldi, Boca vicepresident, announced the club’s intentions to Diarios y Noticias on Thursday, also stating that they hoped to confirm the signing of Newell’s Old Boys’ World Cup-shortlisted defender Juan Manuel Insaurralde. Beraldi claims that, ‘there are no sticking points with Palermo, we’ve spoken already but at the moment he’s concentrating on the World Cup. Sebastián [Battaglia] too, no problem there. The only one left is Román [Riquelme]. As with any negotiation with a player of his standing, we’ll have to sit down. Everyone at Boca hopes for a resolution.’
Beraldi did also comment, when asked about Hugo Ibarra’s situation – the full back is currently touring the States with the kids – that ‘when he returns we’ll have to talk. It’s important that the [new] manager talks to all the players and when that’s done we’ll be able to decide which ones continue.’ He also insisted that Borghi hasn’t asked for any new strikers to be brought in – instead he wants a centre back, a full back and a box-to-box midfielder. At the same time, though, he insisted Mauro Boselli’s return to La Bombonera from Estudiantes – where he’s had a bit more success than Boca since leaving them – is not impossible. One might be tempted to ask whether he really has any more of a clue what’s going on than anyone in the press does.
Los Angeles Galaxy 1 – 0 Boca Juniors
Seattle Sounders 3 – 0 Boca Juniors
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Hasta El Gol Siempre 
Thanks for the update Sam. Boselli back to Boca ? In the past Palermo was always the #9 in Boselli’s way. Could they play together ? I’m not sure about that. I do know that with Gaitan headed elsewhere there is going to be a distinct lack of speed up front. Maybe Borghi can drum some sense into Mouche’s hard head.
Sounds like Borghi is intent on shoring up the defense first and worrying about the attack second. Given Boca’s stats from the Clausura I guess that makes sense.
Well, to fill in dead air, we can talk transfer talk, rumours. I’m a bit sour on Fede Higuain (free agent) saying in local press he’d stay (a week ago) then turned two-faced and signing with Colón leaving Godoy Cruz getting nothing out of the deal, but that’s just business. It’s sad that most of the impact players of this year’s revelation squad was/are on loan or free agents. Carranza (dec ’10), Sigali (expired), Ariel Rojas (exp), Ramirez (free agent), Castillo (free), Curbelo (free), Seba Martinez (free agent i believe) Subs: Leandro Torres (exp), Chavez (exp), Sergio Sanchez (free), Daniel Vega (free), Martin Aguirre (free)
sigh… Ibañez and Olmedo are on sale.
Off topic-I was recently whining to my friend Bostero Forever about no live TV futbol following the Clausura. His apt response,”Relax, we are in the gravity of the World Cup”. Indeed we are. Bring it on !