Albacete waste no time replacing Riki with Uruguayan midfield maestro
With Riki Rodríguez off to Deportivo, Albacete have quickly secured Martín Fernández on loan from Newell's Old Boys with an option to buy.
Albacete Balompié have moved swiftly to fill the void left by Riki Rodríguez’s departure to Deportivo, bringing in Uruguayan midfielder Martín Alejandro Fernández Figueira on loan from Newell’s Old Boys until the end of the season.
Quick replacement
The club from Castilla-La Mancha haven’t messed about in finding a replacement for their departing midfielder. With Barcelona reportedly sniffing around Riki, Albacete had clearly done their homework and lined up a Plan B sharpish.
Fernández, 22, joins on a temporary deal that includes an option to purchase – a proper bit of business that gives the club flexibility depending on how he settles in Spain’s second tier.
South American pedigree
The Uruguayan defensive midfielder has built up an impressive CV across two countries:
- Came through Liverpool Montevideo’s youth system before debuting in 2019
- Key player in Liverpool’s 2020 Torneo Clausura triumph
- Moved to Boston River (Uruguay) in 2022, eventually becoming captain
- Spent time on loan at Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata in Argentina’s top flight
- Transferred to Newell’s Old Boys last summer
- Boasts 143 official appearances between Uruguayan and Argentine football
Stepping into Segunda
This represents Fernández’s first venture into European football, with Albacete hoping his South American steel will translate well to Spain’s Segunda División. At just 22, the Montevideo-born midfielder represents both immediate cover and potential long-term value.
While the Adam and Eve (believe) around Riki potentially heading to Barcelona continues to bubble away, Albacete fans can take comfort that the club’s recruitment team haven’t been caught with their trousers down. Whether Fernández can fill those boots remains to be seen, but his track record suggests he’s no mug in the middle of the park.