Brazilian club Santos has made a formal offer to Argentine Independiente for the transfer of Chilean midfielder Felipe Loyola ahead of the upcoming season, which could see the Argentine club lose one of its key figures. According to the Argentine News Agency, the offer is around $6 million for 80% of the player's rights. The 25-year-old Chilean, who joined Avellaneda in mid-2024 for $2 million, was crucial for 'Rojo' in the first half of the season, but his level, like the team's, declined afterwards. Independiente's head coach, Gustavo Quinteros, considers Loyola a fundamental piece of his system for the next campaign. However, the coach is aware of the club's financial situation and would not stand in the way of his departure. Moreover, Santos, which avoided relegation to Brazil's Serie B at the end of the championship, will play in the Copa Sudamericana—a competition Independiente will not participate in—which would mean greater international visibility for the Chilean. While the formal offer exists, the Argentine club's board of directors, led by Néstor Grindetti, will seek to negotiate two key items: the guarantee and form of payment, and a possible $1 million increase in the transaction. The progress regarding the Andean midfielder's move to Brazilian football is real, but several details of the operation still need to be finalized. Loyola played a total of 42 matches for Independiente, mostly as a midfielder but also as a right-back, scoring nine goals and providing five assists. During the first half of 2025 under the technical direction of Julio Vaccari, the former Huachipato player showed his best level. He had several offers from foreign teams, but the coach at the time considered him untouchable, and the board did everything possible to keep him.
