River Plate announced on Friday the signing of 25-year-old defensive midfielder Fausto Vera from Brazil's Atlético Mineiro as its first reinforcement for the 2026 season. The player, a product of Argentinos Juniors, joins on a one-year loan with a purchase option, following a tough title-less season for the club but with qualification for the Copa Libertadores.
River Plate confirmed the arrival of Fausto Vera, a 25-year-old defensive midfielder from Hurlingham, as its first reinforcement ahead of 2026. The announcement came on Friday, following a challenging title-less season for the Millonario, though it secured a spot in the Copa Libertadores.
The club initially posted a photo of its crest with the caption: "Fausto Vera is a new River Plate player. The midfielder sealed his deal with the Club on a one-year loan, with purchase option". An hour later, it shared a presentation video showing Vera signing the contract alongside Stefano Di Carlo, the recently elected president in Núñez.
In the video, Vera shared his excitement: "Hello everyone, this is Fausto speaking. I'm very happy to join the biggest club in Argentina". The player, aiming to fill Enzo Pérez's role with number 5, joins on loan with a $500,000 fee and a non-mandatory $4 million purchase option.
Vera rose as a prospect at Argentinos Juniors, signed by Corinthians in 2022 for $7.5 million. After a strong start, he lost his place and moved to Atlético Mineiro in 2024 for $4 million, where he was not a regular starter. In 2025, he played 32 matches totaling 1,728 minutes, but completed only one in four games and ended as a substitute in the last three of the local tournament. Atlético Mineiro coach Jorge Sampaoli had informed him he would be considered in 2026, paving the way for his transfer to River under Marcelo Gallardo's management.
