MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Borja lands River Plate deal after dollars appear... somehow

It will be Borja's second spell in Argentine soccer, after playing for Bahía Blanca's Olimpo in the 2014 season.

Colombian international striker Miguel Borja has finally landed at Argentine First Division football club River Plate after the country's economic situation had cast doubts on the feasibility of the transaction.

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Borja, 29, signed a three-season contract with the club after an economic operation worth US$ 7 million involving Colombian club Junior of Barranquilla as owners of the player's transfer rights and Sao Paulo's Palmeiras where the footballer was on loan.

“Borja already belongs to River. He had his medical check-up,” River's second vice-president, Ignacio Villarroel announced in a radio interview.

The Colombian striker thanked “God for the opportunity he is giving me to be able to go to one of the best [clubs] in the continent.” It will be Borja's second spell in Argentine soccer, after playing for Bahía Blanca's Olimpo in the 2014 season.

Borja's deal had made the news on the economy pages as a reflection of the country's economic plights, followed by jokes on the case by newly-appointed Economy Minister Silvina Batakis.

During a TV appearance amis restrictions on the availability of foreign currency to Argentine traders, Batakis was asked if she would allow River to have access to the dollars needed to hire Borja. The minister, famous for rooting for River's archrivals Boca Juniors replied: “Of course not! That's for sure! ... Everything for Boca!” she joked, although, as Sigmund Freud noted, jokes always involve a certain amount of truth.