Galatasaray, Genoa, Blackburn... Monaco

First there was Galatasaray, then Genoa came calling, Blackburn was interested, but only via a loan from Red Star Belgrade, and each time the reports were that Mauro Fórmica was heading to Europe, that the deal was done. Galatasaray and Genoa could not come up with enough money to satisfy Newell's Old Boys demands on a down payment. As for the Blackburn/Belgrade deal, Mauro did not want to sign for a second division team in Serbia in order to play for one in the English Premier League. That only proves that this Gato has a brain, and knows a thing or two about what he would have been getting himself into.

Step up Lucas Bernardi, the veteran who returned to Newell's from Monaco, a team that is located in the principality of the same name, but plays futbol in Ligue 1, the top flight of French futbol. After having a talk or two with the management of his former club to peek their interest, Mauro, his agent Fabián Basualdo, Newell's president Guillermo Lorente, and team secretary Pablo Morosano are off for a trip to France to finalize the deal.

Or so the story goes.