The 32-year-old midfielder admitted that he did not expect his departure from the Núñez club, reviewed his last stint, and stated that he doesn't regret having returned
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Manuel Lanzini broke his silence after his departure from River and revealed that the decision to leave prematurely for Vélez was not what he had in mind.
"The truth is that I wasn't expecting what happened. I thought I would finish my contract with the club, but Marcelo Gallardo had to make decisions and I had to accept them," he explained in a conversation with ESPN.
The midfielder, who returned to Núñez in mid-2023, acknowledged that he would have liked a different ending at the club that developed him. "Obviously, I would have loved for my last stint at the institution to have been different," he said.
During his second spell at River, Lanzini played 59 matches, although between injuries and inconsistency he was unable to establish himself. The most significant memory from that period was the goal in the 1-0 win over Boca at La Bombonera with an alternate team in 2024. After the Club World Cup, where he barely played minutes in the elimination against Inter, Gallardo excluded him from the squad for football reasons.
El momento más destacado en su segundo cíclo fue su gol a Boca
Far from showing any reproach, the former West Ham player gave a positive assessment of his return to the club. "I returned to River at just the right time. It was when I became a free agent and I was at a good age. Sometimes things work out and sometimes they don't, but I don't regret it. It's the club that developed me and I came back when I had to," he reflected.
After his departure, the midfielder signed a contract with Vélez until December 2026, with the hope of being a protagonist in the Copa Libertadores. As a farewell, he left an emotional message for the Millonario fans on his social media.
Lanzini's numbers at River
Trained in the youth divisions, Lanzini made his official debut on August 8, 2010, in a 1-0 win against Tigre. In August 2014, he moved to Al Jazira of the United Arab Emirates, and later joined West Ham in England. In 2023, he returned to Núñez.
Lanzini volvió a River en 2023
In total, wearing River's jersey, he played 150 matches, scored 15 goals (3 against Boca), provided 17 assists, and won four titles.
