Bologna are once again looking to Argentina, specifically Vélez Sarsfield, to bolster their squad with young talent. According La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Italian club has set its sights on two promising players: Christian Ordoñez, a 20-year-old central midfielder, and Valentín Gómez, a 21-year-old left-footed central defender.
This strategy follows Bologna’s successful acquisitions of Nicolás Domínguez in January 2020 and Santiago Castro in January 2024, both from Vélez Sarsfield. The club’s technical director Giovanni Sartori and sporting director Marco Di Vaio are considering making a move for these players in January, with an eye on potential summer departures.
Di Vaio recently hinted at this approach, stating, “We’ll be attentive in the market, just like last year. If there’s an opportunity to anticipate an operation linked to a promising player, we’ll evaluate it. Just like what happened with Castro.”
The rationale behind this strategy is to allow young players time to acclimate to Serie A before being thrust into a more prominent role. This method proved successful with Benjamin Domínguez, who was signed last summer from Gimnasia La Plata and has quickly adapted to Italian football.
Both Ordoñez and Gómez recently helped Vélez win the Argentine championship after an 11-year drought. While their estimated transfer fees are not prohibitive (around €10 million for Gómez and between €5-7 million for Ordoñez), they are also attracting interest from other Italian clubs.
Bologna’s interest in these positions stems from the potential future sale of defender Jhon Lucumí and the need to plan for midfield reinforcements, considering Remo Freuler’s age.
Gómez has expressed his desire to play in Europe, stating, “The reality is that I would like to continue growing in European football and see if this possibility exists, if any club is willing to come and get me.”
Bologna’s scouting network extends beyond Vélez, with interest in Santiago González from Tigre and defensive options like Oliver Provstgaard, Ange Ahoussou, and Jay Idzes. However, the Argentine market remains their primary focus as they continue to build for the future.
