Buenos Aires, April 5 (NA) -- River Plate has initiated negotiations with Chilean defender Guillermo Maripán of Torino, whose contract expires in June. The club intends to sign him on a free transfer for the second half of 2026, following the approval of head coach Eduardo Coudet. Despite the current options in defense, including the arrival of Tobias Ramírez and the recovery of Germán Pezzella, the coach is seeking hierarchy and experience, an aspect in which the arrival of Spanish sporting director Pablo Longoria would help. The 31-year-old Chilean, a regular for his national team, appears to be a market opportunity as his link in Italy is in its final stages, and contacts have already begun in Núñez, although the negotiation is still incipient. The evaluation by Longoria, the new sporting director, will also influence the decision, as he will assess the convenience of signing a player without resale potential, who came through Universidad Católica, according to the Argentine News Agency. Maripán has played for Alavés, was transferred to Monaco for 18 million, and later joined Torino, where he was captain and standout as the team's best player. Although the squad has several options, Coudet aims to reinforce the defense in the event of a possible departure from Paulo Díaz. In recent matches, he lost his place to Ardian Ismajli. Standing at 1.91 meters and strong in the air, he has scored 21 goals in his career.
