Rodrigo Villagra Saga: Talleres Chief Breaks Silence on Rayados’ Failed Pursuit

CF Monterrey had their eyes on Rodrigo Villagra as their No. 1 target to improve their midfield. However, after negotiations became complicated, Rayados pivoted for Jorge Rodríguez from Estudiantes de La Plata.

Andrés Fassi, the president of Club Atlético Talleres, clarified that the transfer of Villagra to Rayados did not materialize. He notes that the Mexican team was unwilling to pay the amount the Argentine club desired.

“The deal for Villagra was never finalized, so it’s not appropriate to ask if the transfer fell through,” Fassi said (h/t ABC Noticias). “It’s straightforward: Talleres set an amount for the player, and Monterrey is unwilling to pay it. He won’t be joining that club because they are not meeting Talleres’ asking price.”

Fassi pointed out that Monterrey’s offer fell short of half the requested amount for the player, a figure rumored to be $6.5 million, with a percentage of the payment tied to a future sale. However, the exact details were not disclosed.

“Regarding Villagra, I even stated it publicly,” Fassi added. It came very, very close, but suddenly, conditions changed, and circumstances were altered. So, we decided that we shouldn’t finalize something unless we were convinced, especially considering financial matters.”