Central defender Nicolás Freire has overcome a severe injury that kept him off the pitch and is rejoining the Independiente team under the management of Julio Vaccari. Freire has received medical clearance for his ligament tear and will be available for the team's upcoming matches.
The defender, who joined the 'Rojo' during the last transfer window, will prepare for the match against Godoy Cruz de Mendoza in the eleventh round of the Apertura Tournament. Although he may not participate in this match, the break due to the South American Qualifiers will allow him to get in shape and return with better match rhythm.
Vaccari's undisputed central pairing consists of Kevin Lomónaco and Sebastián Valdéz, so Freire will have to compete for a spot in the starting eleven. Aware of this, he agreed to receive the minimum salary established by the Argentine Football Association during his injury.
Recovered and ready to reintegrate into the team, he will start receiving his full salary according to the terms of his contract upon joining the 'Diablos Rojos', with a purchase option of 1.2 million dollars for 80% of his transfer. Independiente is competing in three tournaments (League Cup, Argentine Cup, and Copa Sudamericana), making it essential to have defensive options for player rotations.
Furthermore, the Avellaneda team has been placed in Group A of the Copa Sudamericana, where they will face Nacional de Potosí from Bolivia, Guaraní from Paraguay, and Boston River from Uruguay. The tournament will begin on April 1, and this news marks a new start for Freire after his injury.
