Boca Juniors moved first in the reshaping demanded by new coach Rodolfo Arruabarrena, agreeing a deal with Argentinos Juniors for Uruguayan right-back Leandro Lozano. The 27-year-old, a regular throughout the first half of 2026, arrives for a fee close to 3.5 million dollars and will sign a three-year contract. Argentine outlets report that Arruabarrena had already told Marcelo Weigandt and Juan Barinaga they were surplus to requirements, making the position an urgent priority. Lozano’s capture is the opening act of a wider overhaul that also saw the departures of Edinson Cavani and Ander Herrera, and the club is still seeking a goalkeeper, central defender, creative midfielder, winger and centre-forward.

The pursuit of a more explosive return, however, remains deadlocked. Colombian forward Sebastián Villa has told Independiente Rivadavia’s coach Alfredo Berti and president Daniel Vila that he will not continue in Mendoza and wants to rejoin Boca. The Buenos Aires club tabled an offer of six million dollars, which it insists matches the release clause, but Mendoza sources, speaking to Argentine media, maintain the clause is seven million net. Vila revealed he proposed a financed deal over seven million plus interest, but Boca’s football council, led by Juan Román Riquelme, did not call back. Boca then formally withdrew from talks, a move interpreted locally as pressure on the selling club and player. Villa’s earlier spell brought 172 appearances, 29 goals and seven trophies, yet it ended with a separation after a gender-violence conviction and ongoing mutual legal claims.

Cavani’s exit left the iconic number 10 shirt vacant, and Argentine outlets note that a section of the fanbase has already begun promoting youth product Tomás Aranda as its next bearer. The symbolism is freighted: the jersey once worn by Diego Maradona, Riquelme and Carlos Tevez is never merely a number. The club has not decided, and the alternative of reserving it for a marquee signing remains open. In a parallel cultural echo, Maradona’s heirs have authorised a new clothing collection built around the 10, his handprint and the archive of his career, a reminder of the weight the digit carries in Boca’s identity.

Across the Atlantic, European markets are stirring. German sources report that Atlético Madrid are advancing on Bayer Leverkusen’s Spanish international Alejandro Grimaldo, with Spanish newspaper Marca claiming a personal agreement until 2029. Leverkusen, however, value the 30-year-old at 30 million euros, not the 15 million floated in Spain, and would be content to let his contract run to 2027. In Italy, Juventus have contacted Paulo Dybala’s agent to sound out the Argentine’s renewal standoff with Roma, where a gap of roughly 500,000 euros plus bonuses separates offer and demand ahead of a 30 June expiry. Algerian outlets, meanwhile, report that Serie A side Como, having been priced out of a move for Brazilian left-back Kaiki, have turned their attention to Young Boys’ Jaouen Hadjam, currently at the World Cup with Algeria, while Frosinone striker Fares Ghemis, also on international duty, has drawn offers from England, France and the United States, with his club holding out for 15 million euros.

Boca’s immediate task is to furnish Arruabarrena with the six targeted reinforcements before the second half of the season, with Lozano the first piece in place. The Villa file, though publicly frozen, remains the most politically charged operation. In Europe, Grimaldo’s probable departure would strip Leverkusen of a leadership figure, while Dybala’s future hinges on whether Roma can close the narrow financial gap before rivals formalise their interest.