Real Madrid target Palacios 'to stay at River until June'

The 20-year-old midfielder's agent, Renato Corsi, told TyC Sports that his client won't leave Argentina before the end of the season.

Real Madrid’s pursuit of River Plate midfielder Exequiel Palacios has been confirmed by the Argentinean club’s president, Rodolfo D'Onofrio, but the Bernabéu’s intention to try and sign the highly rated 20-year-old in January looks set to be frustrated after the player’s agent said he wants to remain in Argentina until next summer.

River and Real Madrid will both be in the United Arab Emirates to contest the Club World Cup later this month and Renato Corsi told TyC Sports that negotiations would likely be initiated there but warned Madrid that River will hold out for considerably more than Palacios’ 15-million-euro release clause.

River to hold out for more than release clause

“He wants to stay until June and doesn’t want to leave for the amount in his release clause,” Corsi said. “We have made a condition and it is that we will not sell for the clause fee. After the Club World Cup we’ll start to talk about numbers. It’s possible that we may agree a deal now and he will leave in June, because then he can start from zero in pre-season whereas if he goes now it will be with the season already halfway through.”