Adding some context to mjusto's excellent post above ... a
wall of text from CE's agent, Enzo Montepaone, appeared in the media yesterday -
via google translate:
re: his controversial departure statement:
"Claudio is a boy who has a lot of personality, he knows perfectly what he wants. Sometimes you have to take into account that emotions play against you a little when you are going to testify. He is a boy, you have to take care of him, you have to respect him. Maybe
that last statement was all emotion, he couldn't express what was really happening and he was misunderstood. He has a lot of personality, he is a boy who quickly realized that he was missing something from saying something. From then on, many people took sides, saying things that didn't happen, that never were. He knew how to endure that moment and today he is fine."
re: everything that Diablito experienced in 2023, his success in competitions with the Argentine National Team and the contractual problem:
"All this is generated because the boy signs a contract as a professional on January 2, 2023, the day of his birthday. , so in April the boy goes to a South American and what we all know happens, that he did well. The South American happens, there are clubs that are beginning to be interested and since we are not in the market period, they kept asking and already Starting from the fact that the boy has a contract and has a clause, the clubs are informed of the clause and that the boy has a contract until December 2024.
From there a series of comings and goings with the clubs begin to happen, which the interested clubs They wanted to move forward. That's where I constantly talk to River, to the president, we never stopped talking, we always had communication, it's a lie that I didn't answer the phones or that I was never clear with River. It's very difficult to sign a contract in January 2023 and sign a contract again in April 2023. The contract periods are to be respected.
In the month of August the clubs were asking and I made it clear with the president that if on December 31 we did not have any official offer, the boy was going to renew. That's why at the time, Jorge Brito said that he was calm because he had the floor and it's true, that's how it happened. Here we all play a role, what happens is that we manage realities. Things happen. Each one fulfilled their role perfectly. Here
there was no disloyalty, no lies, or anything like that. It happened like this. "The boy had an excellent World Cup and the offers appeared, there were 3 offers."
re: The interest of Barcelona and his preference for City
"Barsa wanted it, yes. There were three offers, of which City was chosen because of what it means in itself and because Claudio expressly asked to stay and play at River. If City did not agree to let Claudio stay and play at River "Because Claudio wanted to play the Copa Libertadores with River, there was no operation. The other offers that did exist and that were on the table were to buy the player and take him away."
re: the Copa Libertadores:
"Echeverri is going to play the entire Copa Libertadores. At least until December it has been discussed. The boy expressly asked to stay and play in River, because he really feels that he wanted to play in River".
and finally:
"The operation is practically 99% finished. Small details are missing. Everything is very advanced. The person who should say all this is River, so when it is official, River will say if it is official"