MADRID, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Villarreal's Argentine playmaker
Juan Roman Riquelme will return to his former club Boca Juniors
on loan until the end of the season, says Boca president
Mauricio Macri.
'We are delighted because we know what Roman means to the
fans,' Macri was quoted as saying on the website of Argentine
daily Clarin.
'Financially, we made a big effort to bring him here. It was
a great feat ... He is a great playmaker and is part of our
history.'
However, Villarreal president Fernando Roig insisted the
deal was not yet closed.
'Nothing has been signed,' he was quoted as saying by the Marca website.
'It isn't as straight-forward as it seems.'
The deadline for registration of players in Argentina
expires later on Thursday.
Spanish media reported that the midfielder would receive $2
million to play for Boca in the Clausura championship, which
starts this weekend, and the Libertadores Cup.
Riquelme has been sidelined by Villarreal coach Manuel
Pellegrini since the start of the year because the club has been
unhappy with his level of commitment despite being given
privileges not enjoyed by other squad members.
The 28-year-old is one of the Primera Liga's most talented
players and helped lead Villarreal to the semi-finals of the
Champions League last season although he struggled to recover
after missing a last gasp penalty in their defeat against
Arsenal.
He played an instrumental role in steering Boca to a host of
trophies between 1996 and 2002, winning three league titles and
two Libertadores Cups.
A masterful display in Boca's victory over Real Madrid in
the World Club Cup in 2000 helped persuade Barcelona to buy the
Argentine for 11 million euros ($14.28 million) in 2002, but he
never won a regular place in the first team.
He was loaned out to Villarreal the following season when
Barca signed Ronaldinho and there the team was effectively built
around his elegant, unhurried playmaking skills.
An introverted and softly-spoken character, he retired from
international football last September after winning 37 caps,
saying that criticisms of his performances in the 2006 World Cup
in Germany had affected his mother's health.
