Racing Club de Avellaneda has secured striker Adrián “Maravilla” Martínez on a new contract running through December 2028 that features a US$122 million release clause, the highest ever set for a player in Argentine football. The agreement comes days after the club lost forward Maximiliano Salas to River Plate, a departure that sparked internal criticism and heightened Racing’s determination to protect its remaining stars. Martínez, who has scored 46 goals in 72 appearances and helped the team lift the 2024 CONMEBOL Sudamericana and Recopa, is regarded as one of the most prolific scorers in South America. By establishing a nine-figure buyout price, Racing aims to deter interest from wealthier South American and European clubs while signalling its intent to build around the 27-year-old striker for the long term.