After the Colombian rejected the club’s first offer, Racing will offer an improved offer on Thursday to try to ensure its continuity.
By 2025, he will officially be a free agent. And there will be a resolution. Or almost… The story of Roger Martínez is one of the captivating stories of the summer for Racing fans due to his uncertain future. Especially since he is a key player.
After the Colombian rejected the club’s initial offer, a second meeting will take place on January 2 as part of negotiations for the renewal of his contract, which expires on Tuesday.
As in the first meeting, Sebastián Saja (sporting director) and Diego Cifarelli (treasurer) will meet with one of the striker’s representatives to present an improved proposal and encourage him to stay, a priority established by Gustavo Costas in this transfer window .
At 30 years old, Roger has lucrative offers from Saudi football and uses them to put pressure on the club’s management, even though he knows that Argentine football cannot compete financially with these leagues.
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The club’s first idea was to offer a contract for the same duration (18 months) and the same salary as the previous one, plus the commitment to settle two old debts: one arising from the 15% due for its sale to JiangsU Suning in China in 2016, and the other corresponding to its recent agreement.
Roger rejected these proposals because he is looking for a longer contract with increased figures. Following that in-person summit on Monday the 23rd, Racing contacted the player’s agent on Saturday to inform him that a new proposal was in the works, leading to this impending face-to-face meeting.
“The biggest challenge is maintaining this team. I am very optimistic about Roger; I don’t think it will be complex. The risk is that with very large markets, it is logical that Racing cannot compete. But we understand that we made a good offer,” Saja expressed last week in an interview with Radio La Red.
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“If there are no significant departures, there will be no big recruits,” added Saja, showing notable satisfaction with the current squad. He emphasized: “We cannot forget that on February 20 and 27 we will play the Recopa and the Copa Libertadores; we have no intention of letting any player go. »
On November 23, Roger Martínez fulfilled his dream of winning the Copa Sudamericana, and he even scored the final goal in the 3–1 victory against Cruzeiro. “I came back to Racing to win an international title. Now I want to get back in shape – he said in an interview in his country – for next year. »
When asked about his future, the striker opened the debate: “Right now I’m in Cartagena, enjoying everything here, the family, the neighborhood and friends. Next year we will see…”
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Although he suffered a sprained ankle that caused him problems, Roger had a good 2024, especially in the second half. In all competitions he scored 12 goals, seven in the domestic league and five in the Copa Sudamericana. He participated in 26 matches, including 15 as a starter.
Due to his increasing level, he had the chance to return to the national team. However, during the match against Bolivia for the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, he suffered a bone injury which sidelined him for several matches.
