Spaniard Iker Muniain, one step away from being a San Lorenzo reinforcement: “I saw him wanting to come”

Muniain celebrates a goal against Sevilla wearing the Athletic Bilbao shirt (EFE/Javier Zorrilla)

Everything indicates that, in the next few hours, San Lorenzo will score one of the bombs of the transfer market. The Spaniard Iker Muniain, 31 years old, has decided to fulfill the dream of playing in Argentine football, in the club that sought him out, after flirting with River Plate that did not work out. The Spaniard, idol of Athletic Bilbao, travels to the country to finalize the details of his contract, which would extend until the end of 2025. Thus, the attacking midfielder will have the chance to experience the fervour of Argentine football, which he followed from a distance from Europe. And he will seek to prove his worth in a completely different environment than the one he is used to.

“From what I have said, the Iker Muniain deal is advanced. They are talking with lawyers. San Lorenzo had already made him an offer. The positive thing is that they are talking to reach an agreement as soon as possible and that he is here as soon as possible as well,” said Leandro Romagnoli in an interview with TyC Sports. “We had a meeting with him, his agent and Moretti. We were talking for more than an hour and a half. Muniain can give us hierarchy, hopefully that will happen,” he ventured in dialogue with the Líbero program. And he gave details regarding the interests expressed by the former Marcelo Bielsa manager in the Basque Country.

“He told me that he always watched Argentine football and that he was always surprised by the way people live here. That we are very passionate. We talked about what San Lorenzo is, about history… I told him how we play, what system we use, what position he can play in: behind the 9, as a playmaker… I saw that he was enthusiastic, eager. He told me that he was training. I noticed that he was motivated,” Pipi concluded.

Muniain was pleased that, on his trip to Argentina last week, in which his entourage also built bridges with other clubs (Independiente, Racing, Estudiantes and Talleres), the Ciclón played the card without hesitation. That is why he rejected offers from other leagues with greater purchasing power, such as those in Asia. Of course, in order to be able to incorporate him, the Boedo institution will have to resolve the two inhibitions that weigh on its treasury, corresponding to claims from footballers Fabricio Formiliano and Cristian Zapata (between the two, they are requesting payment of 400,000 dollars).

Iker, who has had an inconsistent season at Athletic Bilbao with 25 games and three goals, although he closed his campaign with a Copa del Rey victory, could become the sixth Spaniard to wear the San Lorenzo shirt, following in the footsteps of José Iraragorri, Emilio Alonso Larrazábal, Isidro Lángara, Ángel Zubieta and Javier Artero López. Although the TMS (Transfer Matching System) closed on August 22, Muniain has the pass in his possession, which allows him to sign with any Argentine club before September 6, the deadline for the transfer market in the country.

El Cuervo, who began to raise his head in the Professional League with two consecutive victories (against Talleres and Platense), in this market already added Matías Reali (Independiente Rivadavia), Facundo Bruera (Olimpia of Paraguay – he would be loaned to Barracas Central-), Nicolás Tripichio (Defensa y Justicia), Andrés Vombergar (Ittihad Kalba of the United Arab Emirates), Francisco Fydriszewski (Barcelona of Ecuador) and Nahuel Bustos (Talleres); not counting several promises from different clubs that he incorporated into the Reserve with the desire to strengthen them. The icing on the cake has a name and surname…