Bologna are making an ambitious play in the transfer market, setting their sights on Christian Ordonez from Velez Sarsfield. The Italian club is eager to secure the talented midfielder’s services, facing stiff competition from Manchester United and River Plate.
Gazzetta dello Sport report that the Rossoblù are looking to capitalize on their available non-EU player slot and are hoping to expedite Ordonez’s arrival. Technical director Giovanni Sartori and sporting director Marco Di Vaio are leveraging their connection with current Bologna striker Santiago Castro, Ordonez’s former teammate at Velez, as a potential intermediary in the deal.
Velez Sarsfield, living up to their nickname “El Fortin” (The Fort), are currently standing firm on Ordonez’s $10 million release clause. However, Bologna remains optimistic and is prepared to act swiftly should an opportunity arise.
The pursuit of Ordonez follows Bologna’s successful strategy of investing in young South American talent, as evidenced by their previous acquisitions of Castro and Nicolas Dominguez. The club sees Ordonez, nicknamed “El Tractorcito” (The Little Tractor), as a dynamic central midfielder capable of playing in both double and triple pivot systems, with excellent game-reading abilities.
While Manchester United views Ordonez as a potential successor to the 32-year-old Casemiro, and River Plate offers the allure of staying in Argentina, Bologna is not backing down. The Italian club is considering a strategy similar to the one used to secure Castro – offering slightly above the release clause, proposing a deferred payment plan, and including a sell-on percentage.
To make room for Ordonez, Bologna may need to offload a midfielder. Nikola Moro and Oussama El Azzouzi are potential candidates for departure, while Kacper Urbanski has attracted interest from Aston Villa.
