After Paredes Deal, Boca Sets Sights on Right Midfielder

With Leandro Paredes on the verge of officially joining the squad, Boca Juniors has already defined its next transfer target: a dynamic right-sided midfielder, a role manager Miguel Ángel Russo sees as critical moving forward.

As reported by Olé, sources close to the team revealed that after the Club World Cup exit, the evaluation was blunt: “Paredes and someone else.” That “someone” has a clear profile: a natural right midfielder, capable of covering ground, contributing offensively, and adding balance to Russo’s evolving system.

In recent seasons, Boca functioned without a true number 8. Cristian Medina filled in at times, but Pol Fernández and Kevin Zenón struggled to make the role their own. Zenón, often used on the right despite being left-footed, was visibly uncomfortable. The arrival of Malcom Braida for the left side has only emphasized the vacancy on the opposite flank.

Russo’s likely shift to a 4-3-1-2 or 4-4-2 formation adds urgency to the search, as the new setup depends heavily on midfielders who can operate efficiently out wide. Tomás Belmonte, signed in 2024, was trialed there but remains a natural holding midfielder.

No specific names have surfaced yet, but Boca is expected to revisit previous targets in its search to address a long-standing gap in the squad.