After recording one of the worst seasons in recent years, River decided to make a deep shift in its contract policy. With no recent titles, multi-million signings that didn't bear fruit, and the looming possibility of missing out on the 2026 Copa Libertadores, the board concluded that the current economic model is unsustainable.
With that assessment, president Stéfano Di Carlo announced a structural reform: new contracts will be tied to performance. The measure, which had been promoted by several lists during the electoral campaign, aims to reduce the wage bill of the country's most expensive squad. "The fixed portion of the remuneration in new player contracts will be no more than 60%. The rest will be based on productivity," he explained at the first Board of Directors meeting of his term.
This scheme establishes a more moderate base salary and an incentive system that could increase earnings by up to 40%, depending on sporting variables. Productivity, as Di Carlo detailed, will be evaluated based on participation in matches, titles won, goals for forwards, overall squad performance, qualification for international competitions, and other agreed objectives.
