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Alejo Veliz has revealed he went "crazy" after a personal transfer request from Rosario Central ace Angel Di Maria. The Tottenham striker this week returned to his former club in Argentina on loan after a tough time of it during his two years in north London.
Restricted to only eight senior appearances in a Tottenham shirt and enduring frustrating loan spells with Sevilla and Espanyol in Spain, the 21-year-old is now back in his homeland but the loan deal contains no option or obligation to sign him permanently. Veliz is now a teammate of Di Maria after the former Manchester United man agreed in May to return to his boyhood club once Benfica's participation at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup had come to an end.
The two will now join forces on the pitch, with Di Maria sending a number of messages to Veliz prior to his move to entice him back to Central.
"Ever since it went viral that I was returning to Central, Angel and I exchanged messages," revealed Veliz at his presentation (via ESPN). "And when he said, 'Come on, you're missing now,' it's truly a driving force that pushes you forward, and I was crazy and wanted to come right away. What we wanted happened, and I'm very happy to be here."
He added: "Having this, my family nearby, my grandparents, is what fulfils me, what completes me. I don't feel like I am here anywhere else. I came back to be able to fulfil myself."
Veliz may have spent the past two years away from his hometown but he has still kept a very close eye on what has been happening at Central.
"I haven't missed a single Central game; my girlfriend is there as a witness, no matter the time," he admitted. "From the day the chance to return arose, I did everything I could to make it happen. I needed to be close to my fans. Today I'm here, and I'm going to enjoy it 200 percent.
"I'm ready to play now; players always want to play, but Central has very good options. Today I saw Flaco Módica, and he's doing very well. But the manager decides. I can't wait to play, but Holan decides. I'll train three times as hard as necessary to be available and for things to be much better than I imagined."
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