Boca Juniors president Juan Román Riquelme has criticised Brighton and Valentin Barco for their behaviour in the deal that eventually took the defender to the Seagulls.
Clarin cover comments from the Boca president today after he spoke to ESPN Argentina about the youngster and made his dissatisfaction clear for all to hear.
Barco completed a move to Brighton earlier this month following months of speculation about his future that started in the summer transfer window.
He eventually joined the Seagulls after having his $10m release clause activated, despite Brighton’s efforts to negotiate a deal with the Argentinian side to avoid having to do so.
Boca, for their part, have been unhappy about that since it happened, very much painting Barco as something of a mercenary who had pushed his way out of the club on the cheap and cost them money in the process.
But it seems his statements have not impressed Riquelme, who is determined to make it clear that he and Boca are victims of a player and his agent.
“I had to be a footballer and I don’t know if it went well or not or better than him,” he said.
“Many teams came looking for me, but I said no. The decision is the player’s. The representative wants to convince you and then the family too, but the one who signs the paper is the player. What he did, for me is very wrong,
“What the European club does is also very bad. But the decision is always made by the player.
“We offered to renew for four years, and the representative said for one year.
“We did things normally. We offered him a long contract to continue growing. And a few days later he appeared with the paper to rescind. And the one who signs it is the player.”
