Boca’s Swap Offer for Ascacíbar Rejected by Estudiantes

As reported from La Plata, Boca Juniors made a formal offer to sign Santiago Ascacíbar by proposing a swap deal: Marcos Rojo plus approximately $2.5 million. But Estudiantes, led by club president Juan Sebastián Verón, promptly rejected the bid.

With the Boca Football Council no longer active, club president Juan Román Riquelme personally contacted Estudiantes to initiate talks for the 28-year-old midfielder, a player he has long admired. However, Estudiantes made their stance clear: Ascacíbar is not for sale, especially not to a domestic rival.

From Boca’s perspective, the deal made strategic sense. It would have secured one of Argentina’s top midfielders while also offloading Rojo, whose situation has become increasingly problematic within the squad. Still, Estudiantes found the financial terms underwhelming and insisted Rojo would only be welcome if he arrived on a free transfer and issued a public apology to their fans.

Back in December, Ascacíbar was linked with a move under Fernando Gago, but talks never progressed. In a recent interview, the midfielder praised both River and Boca, though he subtly admitted he might feel more at home at River due to his relationship with Enzo Pérez — yet reaffirmed his loyalty to Estudiantes above all.