El Millonario will incorporate a left-back to cover the loss of Marcos Acuña and strengthen Eduardo Coudet's squad ahead of the round of 16 of the Copa Sudamericana
River has practically secured a new signing for a transfer market that remains very active. The Núñez club has reached an agreement with Olympiakos for the transfer of Francisco Ortega, who will travel to Argentina in the coming hours to undergo a medical examination and become the eighth reinforcement for Eduardo Coudet's team.
The deal was finalized after the Greek team agreed to lower their financial demands and both institutions reached an understanding for a figure close to 5 million dollars. The player's desire to return to Argentine football and wear La Banda's jersey was crucial in unlocking the negotiations.
The arrival of the former Vélez left-back addresses an immediate need for the coaching staff. Marcos Acuña suffered a muscle tear in the match against Gimnasiaand will not be available for the round of 16 of the Copa Sudamericana against Independiente Santa Fe, while Matías Viña has been left out of consideration and is currently training away from the professional squad.
Ortega arrives at River to cover for Acuña's injury absence
Given this situation, Coudet had to improvise in the last matches with left-footed defenders like Facundo González and Lautaro Rivero to cover the left side of the defense. The addition of Ortega will allow for a natural left-back in that position, and once Acuña is recovered, he will compete for a spot on the team.
The intention of the Millonario is to register the defender in the good faith list for the Copa Sudamericana, taking advantage of the five changes allowed for the round of 16 phase. This way, he would have a chance to be available for the series against the Colombian team.
Meanwhile, the management continues to work to complete the squad. The club is still waiting to free up a spot through a transfer abroad to proceed with the signing of Thiago Almada, an operation that could depend on an exit in the coming days.
Ortega's numbers at Olympiacos
Since his arrival at the Greek club in mid-2023, the player from Santa Fe has played 8,524 minutes, spread over 107 matches, in which he scored 1 goal, provided 8 assists, and received 12 yellow cards. In terms of titles, he won 4: Conference League 2023/24, Super League of Greece 2024/2025, Cup of Greece 2024/25, and Super Cup of Greece 2025.
