Unexpected turn in Marcos Rojo’s pass: Gallardo’s call that got in the way of his arrival in Boca

Marcos Rojo became one of the focal points of the pass market. The 30-year-old defender negotiates his departure as a free agent of the Manchester United, club with which he has a contract until June 30. However, everything indicates that on January 31 he will be in a position to negotiate with any institution. Until now, Boca is the one that seems closer to adding it. The seduction management was in charge of Juan roman riquelme, who had already wanted to incorporate him in early 2020, who offered him a relationship for three seasons (two years with the option of one more).

In the middle, La Plata students, the club that formed him, in which he lived two stages (the last, short, barely six months), proposed him to return and Juan Sebastián Verón, president and former teammate of the defender-back, was willing to match the offer of the Xeneize. Also, in the last hours, Los Angeles Galaxy, the popular MLS franchise, sent him an offer.

But there was another brilliant event around the two-time World Cup player with the Argentine team: he received a tempting call. As reported by journalist Nicolás Bozza, Marcelo Gallardo, River’s technical director, made his phone ring. And he had a conversation with the footballer to tell him that he wants to add him to his project at the head of the Millionaire, which has already been six and a half years. The player would have been “delighted” with the talk. And it would have added uncertainty to his final decision.

Although he did not make public statements, Rojo’s roads seemed to be heading towards Boca. With winks or attitudes, he was feeding the rumors. The footballer shared the new tattoo that he got on his right calf: with an iconic and popular image of Diego Armando Maradona in his box at La Bombonera, with the Boca shirt, smoking cigar and a green cap with a red star characteristic of Che Guevara and the Cuban revolution.

At the time, the global coronavirus pandemic was recently declared, Rojo was a trend on social networks for having met with friends to play a game with a shirt that Riquelme had worn in Boca. A few days later, he commented in an interview: “I want to continue in Estudiantes but all this happened in Boca. The club called me to see what I wanted to do, what I had in mind, whether to continue with Estudiantes or return to England. I said, ‘Wow, look at this!’ He (Riquelme) called me, I was excited because he was going to call me Roman. I’m from the 90’s, my old man is a Boca fan. We watched all of Bianchi’s campaigns. Riquelme, an idol. He called me, we talked, he asked me what I was going to do … “. In the same note, Rojo revealed that Roman’s shirt had been given to him by his brother long before the call to tempt him to sign in Boca.

At the same time, there is a childish bond between Rojo and River, which came to light in 2018. Hours after his goal against Nigeria in the World Cup in Russia, Quique, one of their first coaches, and José Pino Pietrosimone they opened the doors of the Malvinas club, of the La Plata League, where he kicked his first balls, they gave an interview to TN.

There, they exhibited several newspaper clippings and photos from the time when the defender was formed. And, in one of them, the unknown data emerged. In one of the notes, little Red defines himself as a fan of… River. And his idol was Enzo Francescoli, the current manager of the Band.

What will weigh the most in your determination? Boca’s offer and Riquelme’s push? Life shared with Students? Los Angeles Galaxy dollars? Or Gallardo’s voice on the phone and River’s childhood dreams?

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