Leandro Paredes Set to Return to Boca Juniors After 11 Years in Europe

Leandro Paredes is nearing a return to Boca Juniors from Roma. Both clubs are finalizing the transfer. The move is significant for the midfielder, who started his career with Boca years ago.

TRANSFER IN FINAL STAGES

Reports suggest Boca Juniors will trigger a €3.5 million release clause in Paredes‘ Roma contract to facilitate his return to the club. After months of discussions, reports suggest Paredes will sign a contract with Boca Juniors that will run until December 2028, with the Argentine outfit pushing to finalise the transfer in the next few hours. Paredes is back at his boyhood club, where he spent his youth before and the early years of his professional career before catapulting to a career across Europe that saw him lift the 2022 World Cup with Argentina and play for major clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus. Paredes’ return has created great enthusiasm among Boca fans, with the club desperate for reinforcements ahead of the 2025 Club World Cup in the United States, which kicks off on June 14.

IMPACT ON BOCA JUNIORS AND ROMA

Paredes was a regular central midfielder for Roma this past season. The 30-year-old brings a tremendous amount of experience and leadership to a Boca team that has lacked quality in the middle of the park. Boca failed to finish among the top two in the Argentine Primera Division last season and are hoping to close the gap to River Plate, who presently hold a seven-point lead. Meanwhile, Roma will have to reshuffle their midfield options, with Paredes making 35+ appearances in Serie A in the 2024/25 campaign. Boca’s next match is a league tie against Newell’s Old Boys, who are chasing them on the table, highlighting the importance of the reinforcement at a critical juncture of the season.

LOOKING AHEAD: PAREDES AND BOCA’S FUTURE

Paredes’ arrival is great encouragement and a timely boost ahead of the expanded 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, which will see Boca compete for the international club title, putting them toe-to-toe with some of the best teams in the world. The midfielder’s experience and technical savvy are widely expected to elevate the team to a higher level. Fans are hoping Paredes’ return will inspire a new generation by bringing Boca closer to silverware as the club looks to take the next step of bridging the gap to River and challenging for domestic and international titles. Roma, on the other hand, will concentrate on where to reinvest the cash they may obtain from Paredes’ transfer and strengthen their team before the new Serie A season.