River Plate will keep kevin castaño at the club and bring him back to training after Colombia finishes its World Cup participation. The midfielder, signed for 20 million dollars, remains tied to River until December 2028 even after outside interest pushed the club to hold its line.
River Plate and Castaño
The decision leaves Castaño in River’s plans after a stretch in which he had little regular playing time. He started well in his first matches, then lost ground with supporters and spent more time on the bench than available for Marcelo Gallardo or Eduardo Coudet.
Before the World Cup, official offers arrived from Saudi Arabian clubs. They were willing to pay the same amount River Plate spent on him or even double it, but the club did not sell. River’s stance keeps the most expensive signing in its history under contract through December 2028.
Colombia Midfield
His absence from preseason is already set. River will begin that work in Alicante, Spain, on June 20, and Castaño cannot attend because of his commitments with the Colombia national team. River said he will rejoin training once Colombia’s World Cup participation ends.
The club’s statement placed him in the middle of a larger picture involving Colombia’s midfield, where Jefferson Lerma, Richard Ríos and Gustavo Puerta are established figures. That group leaves Castaño chasing minutes at international level while River waits for his return.
Quintero at River
River’s statement also landed alongside a separate debate around Juan Fernando Quintero, whose future at the club has drawn discussion. Rodrigo Riep said he hoped Quintero would find a place where he is happy, while Eduardo Coudet said there had been no information about him leaving and that he speaks most often with Quintero to make sure there is no bad relationship between them.
For River, the immediate call is simple: Castaño stays, the expensive transfer stays on the books, and the club will wait for him after Colombia’s run ends. For a player whose season has already been defined by short bursts of form and long spells on the bench, the next step is training again in River colors, not a move away from Buenos Aires.
