Thiago Almada Joins River Plate After Rejecting Flamengo

The Argentine midfielder was formally presented at the Monumental de Núñez following his official announcement by River Plate. According to financial details reported by Spanish newspapers, River Plate paid a transfer fee of 20 million euros, equivalent to approximately R$ 128 million, to secure the player from Atlético de Madrid.

Return to Argentina and Rejection of Flamengo Interest

The club secured Almada’s signature on a long-term agreement that binds him to Buenos Aires through the end of 2030. Before the deal was finalized, the player was also pursued by Flamengo during the transfer window. However, negotiations between the player and the Rio de Janeiro club stalled after Flamengo’s director of football, José Boto, traveled to Argentina and made it clear that the club would not participate in a bidding war for the midfielder.

Almada’s career trajectory over the past five years has spanned multiple continents. After developing at Vélez Sarsfield, he moved abroad in 2021 to play for Atlanta United in Major League Soccer, where he earned a spot on the Argentina national team and won the 2022 World Cup. He then returned briefly to South America in 2024 to play for Botafogo, helping the Brazilian side capture both the Copa Libertadores and the Campeonato Brasileiro before subsequent spells with Lyon in France and Atlético de Madrid in Spain. During his final season in Madrid, he made 40 appearances across all competitions, contributing four goals and two assists.

Family Ties and National Team Influence

Behind-the-scenes persuasion from international teammates played a significant role in bringing Almada to River Plate. Defender Nicolás Otamendi, who shares locker room duties with Almada on the Argentina national team, frequently discussed the club during their downtime together. Almada recounted of their conversations, translated from his initial remarks, that yes, they had conversations, that they were with the national team and drank a lot of mate together, and that it was true he always spoke to him about River.

Additional encouragement came from fellow national team figures as the transfer neared completion. Almada explained that he gets along very well with Cache (Gonzalo Montiel), so they talked quite a bit about the club, and when everything was almost finalized, he was on vacation with Julián and Enzo, and they were also happy that he was coming there.

Beyond his current peers, Almada shares a deep familial connection to the stadium. His uncle previously played for River Plate’s reserve team and participated in a preseason training camp with the senior squad, though a professional appearance for the club eluded him. That connection meant Almada spent his childhood attending matches at the Monumental with his grandparents.

Thiago Almada stated, via Terra, that his uncle played for River’s reserve team and did a preseason with the main squad, so he always used to come to the stadium with his grandparents, and due to a twist of fate, his uncle didn’t manage to play there.

Reflecting on completing his transfer, the midfielder acknowledged the magnitude of joining the club he grew up supporting. He stated that he thinks any boy dreams of playing at this club, that he is fulfilling a dream, and that he hopes to bring a lot of joy to the fanbase.

Immediate Integration and Upcoming Fixtures

Following his arrival in Buenos Aires, Almada wasted no time integrating into the squad. He participated in his first training session with his new teammates hours after landing, positioning himself to contribute immediately to the club’s objectives.

River Plate faces a demanding schedule across multiple competitions, including the Torneo Clausura of the Argentine championship and the Copa Sul-Americana. Their upcoming continental campaign features a round-of-16 matchup against Independiente Santa Fe in Colombia, with Almada’s inclusion on the travel roster remaining subject to evaluation by the technical staff.

Thiago Almada said, via Terra, hello to the supporters, asked how they were doing, and stated that it was Thiago Almada speaking, that he was very happy to be there and to fulfill the dream of playing for a club like River Plate, that he wanted to thank them for the affection and all the messages they had sent during that period, that he hoped to be able to bring them a lot of joy, and sent a big hug.