Former Los Millonarios and current Hellas Verona striker Javier Saviola is set to return to the club where he made his name, according to reports.

Last week River president Rodolfo D’onofrio expressed the club’s interest but has stated that this would be left to manager Marcelo Gallardo to confirm: “The arrival of Saviola, from our side, is ok. It is now a subject for the coach and the player. Gallardo and Saviola will have to talk and see if the player joins the club. On our side we‘re going to open the doors, no doubt. I hope it happens, but it is an issue that they handle.”

The meeting between Gallardo and Saviola has now taken place and the River boss has given the green light meaning that the 33-year-old becomes the second signing of the window after Nicolás Bertolo was unveiled last week.

After netting only once in the 2014-15 Serie A for Hellas, a return to the Monumental would see Saviola re-unite with former team-mates Pablo Aimar and Marcelo Gallardo, with the latter enjoying a successful managerial spell with River since taking over from Ramón Díaz in June 2014.

El Conejo represented Argentina from 2000 to 2007, netting 11 times for the Albiceleste in 39 appearances, and his distinguished career has seen him represent the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Benfica and Olympiacos.

The 1999 South American Footballer of the Year will return to the Monumental on a free transfer, ahead of River Plate’s crucial Copa Libertadores semi-final clash with Paraguayan side Guaraní in July.

Saviola netted 45 goals in 86 Primera División appearances for Los Millonarios between 1998 and 2001, winning the 1999 Apertura and 2000 Clausura before joining Spanish giants Barcelona in 2001 at the tender age of just 19.

Daniel Gartner

Daniel is a 21-year-old journalism student and aspiring football journalist. He aims to live in Buenos Aires one day as a prominent football journalist, and his favourite leagues include the Argentinean Primera División, Copa Libertadores, Copa Sudamericana, Liga MX and the Brasileirão. Also writes for The Roar and Outside 90.

You can follow Daniel on Twitter @gardj07