The future of Exequiel Zeballos changed course in a matter of hours. When it seemed all set for the forward to continue his career at Parma, the emergence of Monza altered the scenario and ultimately unlocked a departure that Boca needed to finalize before the European transfer window closed.
According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Italian club accelerated in recent hours and reached an agreement with the management led by Juan Román Riquelme to acquire the player for 4 million euros (just over 4.5 million dollars). The deal also includes a particularly favorable condition for the Ribera club: they will retain 40% of any future sale of the forward.
The negotiation was closed under pressure, both due to the imminent closing of the transfer window in Europe and the contractual situation of the player from Santiago, whose contract with Boca was set to expire in December. This circumstance proved decisive for the institution to accept a considerably lower figure than the nearly 15 million dollars established in his release clause.
Monza ultimately prevailed in a contest that also saw other teams involved. Previously, Napoli had held discussions about Zeballos, and Parma had gained traction as a possible destination in recent hours, but it was the team managed by Ivan Juric that moved with greater determination and secured his signing.
