Peñarol locks up Leonel Jaime through 2027 after he hits required 360 minutes

One more assist, one more match, and suddenly a key number came into view: 360 minutes. That was the figure Peñarol needed to see Leonel Jaime rack up on the field in order to keep him for an extra half-year, and on Sunday, in the 2-1 win over Central Español, the Argentine got there. Simple as that, and just as important.

The detail comes from the fine print of the loan deal with River Plate. When Peñarol sealed the transfer of the attacking midfielder, the clubs agreed on a clause tied to playing time: if Jaime reached that mark, River would lose the option to recall him at the end of the year. With the condition now met, the deal automatically extends through the first half of 2027, unless River decides to sell his rights during the transfer window at the start of that year.

Peñarol confirmed the news on social media as soon as word got out that Jaime had reached the agreed minutes. It wasn't just a routine announcement. For the Carbonero club, locking in one of its most decisive players of the season counts as good news in the middle of a campaign that hadn't started easily at all.

Ruglio's comments

Peñarol president Ignacio Ruglio spoke on Monday on the Carve Deportiva program "Fuera de juego" and was clear about the limits of the situation. He confirmed the clause had been met, but also tempered any hope of a permanent transfer down the road.

"It's not possible. Not even for Jaime's own sake. We have to enjoy him for one more half-year now that he's hit the 360 minutes. I believe his release clause is set at 100 million dollars, and the kid himself is going to come to us at some point and say: I held up my end, now let me go to Europe or somewhere I can sign a contract that will change my life and my grandchildren's lives. At that point, as president, you have to tell him: thank you for everything you gave us. With the way he played, alongside his teammates, he pulled us out of a hole we were in"Ignacio Ruglio

Ruglio's words make the relationship between the club and the player pretty clear: there's no plan to fight for a permanent deal that, according to the president himself, carries a release clause so high it's essentially out of reach for Peñarol's finances. The idea, instead, is to make the most of what's left of the loan, knowing that sooner or later Jaime will look to make the jump to Europe.

For now, that conversation is one for another day. What's certain is that Peñarol locked in, without spending an extra dollar, six more months of a player who was key in pulling the team out of a rough patch. And in Uruguayan soccer, where holding on to loaned stars is usually a losing battle from the start, this counts as a small administrative win, every bit as valuable as the ones earned on the field.