Rosario Central make a formal offer for 21-year-old Tottenham attacker

Rosario Central are keen to re-sign Tottenham star Alejo Véliz

Alejo Véliz’s journey since leaving Rosario Central has been far from smooth. Once hailed as one of Argentina’s most promising forwards, the 21-year-old striker now finds himself adrift in Europe. His move to Tottenham was met with excitement and optimism, but after underwhelming loan spells at Sevilla and Espanyol, the buzz has faded. For many in Argentina, and especially in Rosario, the solution is simple: bring him home.

And now, that hope is beginning to take shape. According to César Luis Merlo via X, Rosario Central have submitted an official loan offer to Tottenham to repatriate their former star. Véliz, for his part, is reportedly open to the move. A return to his boyhood club could offer familiarity, support, and perhaps a much-needed reset. But the decision is far from straightforward.

Tottenham, who still own his contract, are reluctant to approve the move. From the club’s perspective, sending Véliz back to Argentina may be seen as a step backward, one that could stall his long-term development in European football. Their preference is to keep him in Europe, hoping that another loan spell might finally spark the breakthrough he’s yet to deliver.

It’s a delicate situation. Véliz wants to play, and play consistently. Tottenham want to protect their investment. Rosario Central, meanwhile, want to reignite a connection that once electrified their fanbase. And while all sides seem to be in conversation, the negotiations, as Merlo notes, are progressing with caution.

Tottenham now stand at a crossroads, and the path they choose could define Alejo Véliz’s career. The most logical decision, from a purely developmental standpoint, is clear: the Argentine striker needs to play. He needs to feel valued, to lead a line, to rediscover the instinct that once made him a rising star. And at Rosario Central, a club that knows him, believes in him, and offers a familiar rhythm, he would find the perfect setting to reignite that spark. There, the pressure of proving himself to a foreign system would be replaced by the joy of simply playing football again.

But in London, the club seems intent on another route. The prevailing belief at Tottenham is that for Véliz to reach his potential, he must continue acclimating to European football, even if it means another short-term loan in a smaller league. It’s a calculated approach, one that suggests they still value his talent but are committed to a blueprint that has yet to deliver consistent results for players like him.

And therein lies the contradiction. Spurs say they believe in Véliz, but their handling of him doesn’t yet reflect a clear, structured vision. He is not the first young prospect caught in this loop. In recent years, Tottenham have cycled through promising talents who were either loaned without a clear pathway or benched into obscurity. The question now is whether Véliz is being nurtured or mismanaged.

More Tottenham Hotspur News:

• Pete O Rourke says Tottenham would like to sign a new centre-back, forward and central midfielder
• Tottenham Hotspur keen to retain veteran star with 23G/A this season
• Ange Postecoglou rules Tottenham duo out of season-ender vs Brighton

Véliz’s recent loan spells, at Sevilla and Espanyol, offered little more than frustration. Minutes were scarce, and he never seemed to be more than a peripheral option. The systems didn’t suit his strengths, and the clubs didn’t build around him. The result? A stalled development curve and a striker who, despite undeniable potential, now finds himself drifting.

Rosario Central, by contrast, represents clarity. There, he would be a protagonist, a striker with a purpose, not just a placeholder. The risk, of course, is that a return to South America may remove him from the European radar, making a re-entry into top-tier European football harder in the long run. But equally, it could revive his confidence, reignite his form, and restore the very value Tottenham initially saw in him.