With less than a week left before the European window shuts, Santiago Giménez, Edson Álvarez, Obed Vargas, Álvaro Fidalgo and Erik Lira are all still waiting on late decisions that could shape where they play this season. Some cases hinge on club approval, others on competing proposals, squad roles or a move elsewhere first, which is why this is less one shared saga than five separate deadline stories.
- Santiago Giménez remains an AC Milan player while Porto push for a season-long loan with an option to buy.
- Edson Álvarez has loan and permanent routes still in play, while Obed Vargas’s possible move to Alavés may depend on Antonio Blanco leaving first.
- Álvaro Fidalgo could leave Real Betis because of midfield competition, while Erik Lira’s next European step remains unclear.
Santiago Giménez’s Unresolved Porto Loan
Santiago Giménez is still an AC Milan player, but Porto are trying to put together a late move before the window closes. The structure on the table is reportedly a season-long loan with an option to buy, which keeps the situation alive without making it a done deal.
The key point is Milan’s approval. Until that arrives, Giménez’s status does not change, and Porto‘s interest remains a possible exit route rather than an agreed switch. With the deadline closing in, this one looks set to come down to whether Milan are willing to sign off on that loan formula.
Edson Álvarez Faces Competing Transfer Paths
Edson Álvarez’s situation is more crowded. One route would take him out on loan, with Olympiacos reportedly having put forward a proposal worth about $2.1m and talks with his camp moving in a positive direction.
At the same time, a permanent transfer path involving Real Sociedad has not been finalised, leaving Álvarez in the middle of two different possibilities rather than one clear next step. That leaves Álvarez weighing not only the destination but also the type of deal.
There is also a squad-planning element to consider. Álvarez offers versatility in midfield and can also fill in at centre-back when needed, so any departure would leave a practical gap as well as settle his own future.
Obed Vargas Could Still Wait on Alavés
Obed Vargas has moved closer to a loan to Alavés, but the deal is not yet complete. The main complication is that Alavés may need Antonio Blanco to leave first before the pathway fully opens up.
Alavés are seen as an appealing option because they could offer Vargas more consistent minutes, and Quique Sánchez Flores’s work with younger players adds another reason for that route to remain the most attractive one.
Sevilla, Real Betis, Valencia and Getafe have also shown interest, but they sit in the background for now. Alavés remain the live route to watch, even if Vargas may still need to wait for another piece of business to fall into place.
Álvaro Fidalgo’s Reduced Role at Real Betis
Álvaro Fidalgo could still leave Real Betis before the summer window closes after slipping out of the club’s plans for 2026-27. This is less about a single advanced destination and more about whether a suitable move appears in time.
Manuel Pellegrini has established midfield options ahead of him, with Isco Alarcón, Giovani Lo Celso and Pablo Fornals all above Fidalgo in the current pecking order. That competition has reduced his prominence and helps explain why an exit remains possible in the closing stages of the window.
Betis are also trying to recover the $2m spent to sign him from América, which gives the club a clear financial target if a departure can be arranged. For now, though, Fidalgo’s future is still tied to whether another side moves quickly enough.
Erik Lira and the Final Days of the Window
Erik Lira’s case is the least defined of the five, but the uncertainty is still real as the deadline approaches. Europe remains part of the wider picture for him, yet no specific destination or active negotiation is firmly established here.
The contrast is clear. Giménez still needs Milan to approve a loan structure, Álvarez has to see which route wins out, Vargas may be waiting on a departure from Alavés, and Fidalgo’s future is being shaped by his place in the Betis midfield picture.
The outstanding questions are not the same: some are about approval, some about squad space, some about a player’s role, and some simply about whether a European opening becomes concrete in time.
