Riquelme will leave Boca (31 May 2007 13:40 GMT)
Boca Juniors have confirmed that Juan Roman Riquelme will not be staying on at the club beyond the summer.
The Argentine is scheduled to return to Villarreal before the start of the European season, still having a year to run on his current deal.
The Yellow Submarines have already said that he will not play for them again, and even Boca Juniors have now ruled themselves out, claiming that his wage demands are way beyond their reach.
"It is impossible that he stays," Boca president Mauricio Macri said on Argentinian radio. "It's out of our range. His salary is the same that Boca pay for all their team together."
However, Macri went on to praise Riquelme for his contribution over the last few months.
"Roman has an important contract and he has the right to play somewhere else," he said. "Riquelme is the best player of the Argentine tournament."
It remains to be seen if a European club will be willing to take a chance with him, given that he will be available on the cheap [apart from his wages].
There have been some reports linking Bayern Munich and Juventus with a move for him, though nothing remotely concrete as yet.
source : Goal.com