Rosario Central is excited about Lo Celso

Giovani Lo Celso, Argentine midfielder of 30 years, is back on the radar of Rosario Central, which is working to bring back one of the players trained in its academy. His situation at Real Betis has changed after being left out by Manuel Pellegrini for the match against Elche on November 8, a scenario that may reactivate interest ahead of the winter market.

Rosario Central looks to Giovani Lo Celso again

Lo Celso's return is a goal that Rosario Central pursued in January 2026. The Argentine management then contacted the player to gauge his willingness to return and proposed the possibility of reuniting him with Ángel Di María, his teammate at PSG and the Argentine national team.

The main obstacle at that time was economic. Betis set its demands around 15 million euros, an amount beyond the reach of the Rosario club. Additionally, Lo Celso has a contract with the verdiblanca entity until June 30, 2028, so his departure requires negotiations with the Spanish team.

The lack of continuity at Heliópolis may alter the context. The Argentine has accumulated only 102 minutes in four matches during the 2026/27 season, according to data published before the match against Elche. His absence from that squad confirmed that he had lost ground in Pellegrini's rotation.

🚨 La ausencia de Lo Celso en la convocatoria para el Elche - Betis obedece a una DECISIÓN TÉCNICA. Nada que ver con molestias. Difícil de entender aquí la gestión de Manuel Pellegrini. El jugador está entrenando bien y ha estado bien cuando le tocó participar. Info ElDesmarque https://t.co/RU8pr0hL8h

— Álvaro Borrego (@alvaritomfs) November 7, 2026

Pellegrini leaves Lo Celso out, but rules out personal problems

The decision of the Chilean coach was strictly sporting. On November 7, Lo Celso did not appear in the list of call-ups to visit Elche despite being physically fit to play. He had also been left out of the previous two matches against Málaga and Borussia Dortmund.

Pellegrini explained on November 10 that there is no conflict with the player. The coach stated that he chose other players because he considered them to be in better form during training. Therefore, the exclusion is due to a performance decision and not a rift between them.

The calendar now offers an opportunity to change this dynamic. Betis faces the postponed Copa del Rey match against Navalcarnero, scheduled for November 12, and Lo Celso could have minutes again, taking advantage of the absences of several internationals. His response in that match could influence his role in the coming weeks.

The contract until 2028 conditions the return to Argentina

Lo Celso was trained at Rosario Central before making the jump to European football in 2016. His link with the Argentine club remains a favorable element to explore a return, although economic conditions continue to be the determining factor.

The midfielder has an estimated market value of 8 million euros, according to the latest available update from Transfermarkt, and still has more than a season and a half left on his contract with Betis. The difference between that valuation and the 15 million that the Spanish club allegedly demanded in January reflects the difficulty of closing a conventional operation.

The next step will be to see if Rosario Central can turn its interest into a viable economic avenue during the winter market. Before that, Lo Celso will have the opportunity to regain prominence with Betis against Navalcarnero and convince Pellegrini that he can still have a role in the squad.