Braulio Vázquez finds the perfect replacement for Guido at Valencia
The Argentine midfielder is part of River Plate's plans, and the black-and-white sports management is working on a reliable replacement.
Enzo Barrenechea, 25-year-old Argentine midfielder from Benfica, appears as a possible alternative for Valencia CF if Guido Rodríguez ends up moving to River Plate in the upcoming winter market. Braulio Vázquez is considering bringing back the player who was loaned to Mestalla during the 2024/25 season, although the operation would depend on a departure from the midfield.
The option that the Valencia team might consider would be a loan with an option to buy, considering that Benfica has the player under contract until June 2030 and paid 12 million euros to acquire him.River Plate wants to fish in La Liga and has set its sights on Guido Rodríguez.
Enzo Barrenechea, a known alternative for Valencia CF
The name of Enzo Barrenechea reappears in Valencia's sports planning. His previous stint in Mestalla left good impressions among the fans, who appreciated his participation in a season marked by classification issues.
The Argentine arrived on loan from Aston Villa in the summer of 2024 and managed to establish himself in the midfield. His ability to recover balls and participate in the build-up play allowed him to become a regular in the lineups.
Moreover, the player has maintained his emotional connection with the Valencia team through various messages and gestures towards the fans. His knowledge of the club is an argument to consider his incorporation again.
He currently belongs to Benfica, which initially brought him in through a loan of 3 million euros in 2025 and later executed his purchase for an additional 12 million. His market value is around 15 million euros.
However, his situation in Portugal has also been affected by injuries. In September, he suffered a tear of the internal meniscus in the left knee, which required surgery and disrupted his continuity at the start of this season.
@dani_merono 🇦🇷¿GUIDO A RIVER PLATE? In Argentina, they say there is interest, but in Valencia, they have a different version... What would you do? Would you listen to offers or not? #ValenciaCF #RiverPlate #laliga #guido ♬ sonido original - dani_merono
The departure of Guido Rodríguez would mark the operation
The possible return of Barrenechea directly depends on the future of Guido Rodríguez. The 32-year-old midfielder has attracted the interest of River Plate, which is considering bringing back one of the players developed in their youth academy.
According to AS, the Argentine team is looking for a midfielder for January and has placed the Spanish-born international on their agenda. However, they have not yet made any formal offer.
Braulio Vázquez's stance is clear. The sports director stated on November 7 that the club does not plan to entertain offers for Guido, who renewed his contract during the summer until 2028, with an additional optional season.
Therefore, Valencia CF does not intend to part with one of its starters while trying to improve its situation in LaLiga. However, a potential departure would require finding an experienced replacement for the position.
Benfica would have the final say on his return
The main difficulty in recovering Enzo Barrenechea would be reaching an agreement with Benfica. The Portuguese club made an investment of 15 million euros between the loan and purchase, so a definitive operation would require negotiating his valuation.
A loan with an option to buy would allow Valencia to incorporate the Argentine without immediately bearing the cost of a transfer. However, there is still no known formal proposal.
The next step will depend on River Plate. If they make an offer for Guido Rodríguez and Valencia changes its stance, Braulio Vázquez could explore the conditions for a loan for Enzo Barrenechea before the closing of the January 2027 transfer window.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Braulio Vázquez encuentra al sustituto perfecto para Guido en el Valencia