Maxi Salas left River and traveled to Mendoza to join Independiente Rivadavia

Maximiliano Salas is no longer part of River's squad This Tuesday, he said goodbye to the club without speaking to the press and embarked on a journey to Mendoza to join Independiente Rivadavia. The forward, who had been training separately with the sidelined players at the Cantilo training ground, will quickly fall under the orders of Alfredo Berti.

The Millonario is loaning him out for a year, at no cost and with a purchase option of around 4 million dollars. Initially, the management sought a definitive sale, considering that in July 2025 they had disbursed eight million euros to activate the exit clause from Racing. As no concrete offers arrived, they ultimately opted for this loan.

The player born in Curuzú Cuatiá arrives at the Mendoza Lepra at the express request of the coach. His role will be to occupy the attacking flank that was left vacant after Sebastián Villa's departure to Boca. At 28 years old, the left-footed player needs to regain competitive rhythm after a time away from official matches.

Salas has not played since May 27, when he scored the only goal in River's 1-0 victory over Sporting Cristal in the Copa Sudamericana. Since then, he has trained with the group of sidelined players known as the "container gang." Now, in Mendoza, he aims to accumulate minutes and fight for a spot in the next edition of the Copa Libertadores.

A cycle that did not meet expectations

At River, the forward played 37 matches, scored seven goals, and provided two assists. The numbers were not enough to justify the significant investment the club made to bring him from Avellaneda. That same high figure ended up conditioning his continuity and facilitated the decision to loan him out.

The time at the Monumental left a bittersweet taste. He arrived with the expectation of being an important piece in the attack, but injuries, internal competition, and the high cost of his signing conspired against him. Now he will have the chance to restart away from the pressure of Núñez.

At Independiente Rivadavia, they trust that his experience and ability to break through can bring freshness to Berti's team. The Mendoza club seeks to strengthen the squad for a demanding semester and sees Salas as a concrete option for the offensive sector.

The player, for his part, will focus on feeling important again. This semester he has two clear objectives: to recover minutes and fight for the Copa Libertadores. With the Lepra jersey, he will try to demonstrate that he can still perform at a high level and, if things go well, the Mendoza club could exercise the purchase option.