Racing Club Striker Claudio Bieler Seals Newell's Old Boys Switch

Claudio Bieler will leave Racing on a six month loan to Newell's Old Boys, while the temporary return of Franco Zuculini is just a matter of time.
Unsettled Racing Club striker Claudio Bieler will spend the Clausura season in Rosario, after agreeing a short-term move to Newell's Old Boys.

La Voz del Interior reports that the 26-year-old striker, who was born in Santa Fe but started his career for the Lepra's provincial rivals Colon, agreed a six-month switch on Thursday after repeatedly angling for a transfer in recent months.

Currently in Colombia with La Academia, the player will return to Argentina tomorrow and head straight to Rosario to undergo a medical and sign a contract. Newell's will pay the Avellaneda club $200,000 for the temporary signing.

'El Taca' arrived in Argentina to much fanfare after an excellent spell at LDU Quito, but could never reproduce his form in Ecuador with Racing and after two disappointing seasons finished 2010 on the bench for Miguel Angel Russo's side.

The move means La Academia must redouble their efforts to find a new striker, as Gabriel Hauche and Pablo Luguercio are the only two forwards currently in the first team.

Meanwhile, the transfer of Genoa's Franco Zuculini back to his first club is looking more and more likely as reports suggest that Racing are slowly increasing their offer to a sum acceptable to his agent's liking.

Vice-president Pablo Podesta confirmed to Cancha Llena that the transfer "was simply a matter of time," and the 20-year-old looks set to spend at least six months at the club in which he made his debut as a teenager.