Estudiantes Confirm the Return of Manchester United Defender Marcos Rojo
Estudiantes have confirmed the arrival of Manchester United defender Marcos Rojo, marking a return to his former club nearly nine years after he left Argentina for Europe.
The player’s mother and sister had previously confirmed with social media posts that the loan - which is set to run until the end of the season - was happening.
Rojo, who joined United from Sporting CP in 2014 after an impressive World Cup with Argentina, previously spent 11 years with Estudiantes until heading to Europe aged 21.
🔴🔙 Uno vuelve siempre a los sitios donde fue feliz. Porque el sentido de pertenencia 🇦🇹 es más fuerte. Tu sueño y el de la Familia Pincha se hacen realidad 😍 Nos reencontramos en UNO 🏟
— Estudiantes de La Plata (@EdelpOficial) January 30, 2020
👋 ¡Bienvenido y gracias por volver, Marcos! ¡Te recibimos con el corazón! ❤ pic.twitter.com/rAzQrSlnzX
The versatile defender first landed in Russia with Spartak Moscow, but made the switch to Portugal and Sporting the following year after only limited appearances.
Rojo was one of several United signings made by the club in Louis van Gaal’s first summer in charge, joining for a fee in the region of £16m after a difficult set of negotiations that included him handing in a transfer request and even refusing to train until Sporting let him leave.
🇦🇷 We can confirm Marcos Rojo has returned to his homeland to join Estudiantes on loan for the rest of the season.
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) January 30, 2020
Best of luck, Marcos!
Rojo’s five and a half years have been sadly underwhelming. He has just played 122 times in all competitions during that time and has only started 11 Premier League games since the start of the 2017/18 season – a combination of injuries and slipping down the pecking order.
ATENCIÓN: la mamá de Marcos Rojo confirma en sus redes sociales la noticia del día. ¡Vuelve un crack al fútbol argentino! pic.twitter.com/hMFXJy2aJU
— SportsCenter (@SC_ESPN) January 29, 2020
Noelia Rojo, hermana de Marcos, orgullosa de la decisión de su hermano. pic.twitter.com/PeD7MdX7gs
— SportsCenter (@SC_ESPN) January 29, 2020
United fans were left surprised when Rojo has handed a new three-year contract by the club in 2018, extending his terms to 2021, with the option of a further 12 months. Last summer, he was heavily linked with Everton and Aston Villa towards the end of the transfer window, but no deal could be agreed with either Premier League side.
Hailing from the city of La Plata, Rojo won an Argentine title and the Copa Libertadores during his first spell with Estudiantes, his local side. He was a teammate of short-lived former United fan favourite Juan Sebastian Veron during that time.
His departure from United now could open up the club’s number 16 shirt for new signing Bruno Fernandes, who wears the jersey on international duty for Portugal.
Having earlier worn Rio Ferdinand’s old number five, Rojo took 16 when Michael Carrick retired in 2018. Former captain Roy Keane is the only other player to wear 16 for United since fixed squad numbers were introduced in 1993.
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