Mateo Retegui on the market: the cost, Inter and the trump card

The first goal in Europe could not have come on a more evocative stage. Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, not just any one for those coming from Argentina. Mateo Retegui hit the mark in his first presence for Italy: thanks to his maternal grandfather, originally from Canicattì, the 23-year-old is a native of Buenos Aires and grew up in the province. Mancini’s call convinced him to leave his comfort zones. Between River, Boca, Estudiantes and Tigre, Mateo had always remained in the orbit of the Argentine capital. He now he looks around and widens his eyes, like Will Smith on the yellow taxi that leads to Bel Air. He likes Europe and it could soon become his new home.

Dad’s words

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El Chapa, Mateo’s father, has linked his name to the world of sport. As a youngster he was a star in field hockey, now he is his son’s agent and manages his contacts with international clubs, sponsors and media. “We have received calls from the best leagues in the world: Serie A, Liga, Premier and Bundesliga-, he explained in recent days-. The call-up turned on the spotlights, but Mateo had already been in the scouts’ sights for some time”. The opposite would have been strange, considering the 28 goals scored in the last 48 games of the Argentine championship.

The contract

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Raised at River, Retegui moved to Boca in 2016 and, after his youth career, made his debut for the first team. On paper it is still owned by the Xeneizes, who have been loaning him around Argentina for three seasons. A year ago, however, the Tiger reached an agreement for the redemption of half of his price tag. The price? 2.1 million euros. The figure is not scary, but it must be considered that the contract of the 1999 class will expire in December 2024.

How much does it cost

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The figures agreed between Boca and Tigre date back to February 2022: Retegui had not yet graduated as Argentina’s top scorer and the top clubs had not set their sights on him. Within a few months, Mateo had become a goose that laid the golden egg. He scores in bursts and plays for the Italian national team, he is not from outside the EU and has the identikit of the modern striker. To bring it to Europe in the summer, at least 15 million are needed.

Who wants it

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Those close to him ensure that, in January, Udinese thought about it. Mateo declined the offer and, in a short time, theappeal of his admirers has grown enormously. The big Italians are teased by the idea of ​​securing the future striker for the national team, in the front row is Inter who have an ace up their sleeve: Facundo Colidio. Purchased in 2017 for their weight in gold by Boca, the Argentine is one year younger than Retegui and plays… on loan at Tigre. The numbers are not the same as Mateo’s, but the 23-year-old is a starter, highly esteemed in his homeland. Boca would gladly bring him home, Marotta aims for an exchange to close a Lautaro-style deal. By renewing Dzeko’s contract, Retegui would arrive in Milan to grow behind the owners. After a year of acclimatization, he could become the new black prince.