Juan Fernando Quintero leaves River Plate by mutual agreement, returns to Independiente Medellín

Some departures get announced with a brief press release. Others require the club president himself to step up and explain. Juan Fernando Quintero's exit from River Plate belonged to the second category. Weeks after the contract was terminated, Stefano Di Carlo had to address the matter in a press conference, explaining why a player under contract through 2027 ended up leaving the club by mutual agreement.

The exit was signed on July 24, and it was no small matter. Quintero is one of the most beloved players among River's fan base, especially for what he meant in the 2018 Copa Libertadores final in Madrid. That affection is exactly what Di Carlo pointed to when he had to give answers amid a difficult stretch for the team.

"With JuanFer Quintero, what happened was first the public matter, what's already known, and from there he decided to continue elsewhere," the president said, making clear that the final call belonged to the player and not to a soccer decision made by the club.

A "hero of Madrid" who earned special treatment

What stands out is how Di Carlo justified the agreement even though the contract still had nearly two years left. For the club official, there was no other way to handle the departure of someone with that kind of symbolic weight in the club's recent history.

"When we decided to terminate by mutual agreement because he chooses to leave, that's what River has to do with a hero of Madrid, with a symbol of this club, with an icon, with someone we all love very much, and that's why the club supported him with that termination so he could take the next step in his career the way he wanted, and that's what happened."Stefano Di Carlo

The numbers back up that special treatment. Across his three stints wearing the red band, Quintero played 137 matches and scored 24 goals, on top of leaving behind plays that fans will never forget, like the goal itself in the final at the Santiago Bernabéu.

The Colombian already has his next destination locked in: he's returning to Independiente Medellín, the club that developed him and for which he's always shown a special fondness. In fact, the player himself didn't hide his excitement when the return was finalized.

"I'm very happy to have reached an agreement with the club. You all know that my love for Medellín outweighs any emotion or feeling."Juan Fernando Quintero

That closes another chapter in the relationship between Quintero and River, one marked by comings and goings but always with the same common thread: the mutual affection that, according to Di Carlo, ultimately tipped the scale toward a negotiated exit rather than a forced one.