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Valentino Acuña to Defensa y Justicia

Quiet since 31 July 2026. Last report: Cesar Luis Merlo. Probability when it went quiet: 28%.

Defensa y Justicia want Valentino Acuña, the 20-year-old Newell's midfielder, on loan with an option to buy. The two clubs were deep in talks and looked to be closing on a deal, but the negotiation has stalled. Newell's want to insert a buy-back clause into the loan so they can reclaim Acuña down the line, and Defensa y Justicia are refusing to budge on that point. His contract at Newell's runs until 31 December 2027, so there is no urgency forcing a sale, which strengthens the selling club's hand on the terms. The reporting comes from Cesar Luis Merlo, a well-regarded voice on Argentine transfers. On 30 July he described advanced negotiations for a loan with option to buy. A day later the same reporter said the move had collapsed over the buy-back clause. This is a single credible source rather than a chorus, but Merlo is reliable and his update is recent and specific. As things stand, this is against the odds. The framework of the deal existed, so it is not dead in the ambition, only in the detail. For it to revive, one side has to give ground on the repurchase clause: either Newell's drop the demand or Defensa y Justicia accept it. Until then, the sticking point is doing the holding. Newell's know how to price a departure. They banked €5m selling to Boca Juniors in 2024, €5m from Vasco da Gama and €4m from Roma. A loan with an option is a softer arrangement than those clean sales, which is partly why the clause matters so much here. Watch for movement on the buy-back clause. Any sign either club has blinked would put the loan back on track.

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