Vélez Sarsfield transfer coup as Fernando Gago joins, & Riquelme talks to Tigre

The Argentine transfer window hasn’t closed yet, but on the last day of registration for European clubs, one big name did arrive in the Primera, and it’s a good ‘un; current Argentina international Fernando Gago wanted a move home because his wife, the former tennis player Gisela Dulko, is due to give birth later this year and the couple wanted the child to be born in Argentina. Boca Juniors manager Carlos Bianchi didn’t want Gago to return to the club, but Vélez Sarsfield took advantage, and the deal was confirmed on Thursday; Gago arrives in Liniers on loan until the end of the season.

Meanwhile Juan Román Riquelme, who hasn’t played since the end of last season after announcing his departure from Boca Juniors, has been talking to one of his local politicians. Sergio Massa is the mayor of Tigre, and also one of the local club’s most influential and well-connected fans, and Riquelme met him on Thursday to discuss the possibility of playing for the Victoria side, who sealed qualification for the Copa Libertadores group stages on Tuesday evening.

Riquelme grew up near Tigre’s ground, and has supported them all his life, so although he’s inextricably linked with Boca as well as with Argentinos Juniors (the former is the club he’s considered a legend at; the latter is where he started his professional career), this seems to be the move he’d be happiest with on a personal level. One sticking point is that Tigre would reportedly have to pay Boca a fee of a little more than US$2 million to secure the transfer – an astronomical figure by local standards. The novela might not be over just yet.