Botafogo will pay almost R$50 million to Vélez Sarsfield for attacking midfielder Álvaro Montoro, who is only 18 years old
Botafogo officially announced the signing of 18-year-old attacking midfielder Álvaro Montoro on Tuesday. The Argentine arrived from Vélez Sarsfield for US$9 million (around R$49 million) and signed a contract valid until December 2029. Montoro is therefore the first confirmed signing for the window leading up to the FIFA Club World Cup, a competition that Botafogo will play in June in the United States.
The midfielder will also be available for the rest of the Campeonato Brasileiro, the Libertadores and the Copa do Brasil. The player had been monitored since January, when Botafogo first made contact.
At the time, Vélez resisted, but with the player’s contract ending at the end of the year, the Argentines agreed to negotiate. In addition to the amount paid, the sports project offered weighed heavily, which foresees, at some point, a possible transfer to Lyon, in France, a club that is also part of John Textor’s group.
For Vélez, Montoro played 48 professional matches, scored three goals and provided one assist. In 2025 alone, before the sale, he played 19 games and participated in the club’s Libertadores campaign, where he scored three goals. The attacking midfielder stood out in the youth categories and was integrated into the main squad in 2023.
