The Uruguayan forward has attracted attention from the Rio de Janeiro club since 2019, and Jorge Sampaoli made his arrival a clear priority when he took charge of the board’s plans.
River Plate has long anticipated Nicolás De la Cruz moving on. Beyond the evident loyalty he has shown to the club and his alignment with the shirt and sporting project, the Uruguayan has been waiting for more favorable financial offers. It now appears that a first approach is imminent: Flamengo has him among its top targets for the upcoming transfer window, and there has already been initial contact with the player’s camp, according to GOAL.
River’s full agenda for 2023
DLC has drawn Fluminense’s attention since 2019, yet the Rio side had not pressed negotiations with conviction until now. The situation has accelerated at the explicit prompting of Sampaoli, who prioritized the Uruguayan as soon as he agreed to join the project.
Following an initial inquiry that showed positive signals from the player’s surroundings, Flamengo executives took advantage of a Buenos Aires trip in early May during the club’s visit to Racing for the Copa Libertadores to speak directly with the player’s circle. While no concrete steps have been announced, Flamengo is already reconfiguring the squad, aiming to reduce the wage bill by moving on high earners such as David Luiz, Arturo Vidal, Bruno Henrique, Marinho and Caio. Talks with De la Cruz are expected to resume when the Brazilian league window opens on Monday, July 3.
Beyond De la Cruz being a key figure for Martín Demichelis and one of the team’s main references, River Plate is aware that retaining him carries almost no margin. The Uruguayan spent the second half of last year with the door open to join another club in early 2023 to leave on a free transfer, but he made it clear that he did not want to depart on that basis. In November, just before the World Cup, he renewed his contract through 2025, with management promising to listen to future proposals that might come from the player.
The expectation was that offers would arrive in the summer. However, after Uruguay endured a disappointing spell in Qatar, the midfielder chose to undergo knee surgery to address a chronic problem, effectively ruling out any immediate negotiations. Now fully recovered, despite the first semester having cost him preparation time, the club begins to bid farewell to the player. Could Brazil be his destination next?