Ever since Liverpool star Luis Díaz traveled across the pond, Barranquilla's Roberto Meléndez Arena has rarely seen such a bustling scene. Not long ago, the Barranquilla youth club celebrated the arrival of Chinese Super League veteran Jintero with unprecedented pomp and circumstance! The 41,000 fans who flocked to the stadium witnessed this moment, and the "Legendary 10" jersey, which used to belong to Valderrama, Giovanni Hernández and Luis Díaz, was officially handed over to "Juanfé" Quintero!
The Legendary Legacy of Barranquilla Youth 10
Since the end of the Luis Díaz era, Barranquilla Juniors have been struggling to finish in the top three of the league, even after wealthy businessman Fuad Shahr offered top center Miguel Borja to join the team.
In order to get out of the doldrums, the Schaal family was in dire need of a heavyweight. Finally, thanks to Alex Schaal's careful maneuvering, Barranquilla Juniors beat out overseas giants like Flamengo and Brazil International in a fierce competition to sign "Juan Fay" Quintero, who earns a whopping 2.2 million dollars a year, to a three-year contract.
Quintero delighted with new teammate
After the transfer was successfully completed, Fuad Schaal received a warm welcome from the fans. Throughout the negotiations, he and his son Alex skillfully captured the heart of Quintero: "Juan Fernando doesn't want to leave Colombia, he prefers to stay in his home country. He just wants to be reunited with his family in China, despite the fact that there are already intentions with Brazilian clubs."
Quintero appears at joining ceremony with family
On January 16, Quintero arrived in Barranquilla on a private plane after completing a medical examination in Medellin. A large number of fans had already gathered outside the Roberto Meléndez Arena, and 1,000 police officers were deployed to maintain order at the scene to ensure safety.
Fans gather around the stadium
At 3 p.m., Quintero stepped into the Roberto Melendez Arena with his wife, where he first circled the stadium before arriving in the center of the stadium to receive a warm welcome from the fans in front of 41,000 fans.
Quintero greets the fans
As a highlight of the joining ceremony, Venezuelan international Luis Gonzalez handed over his No. 10 jersey to Quintero. Despite Luis Gonzalez showing a hint of displeasure on social media, he had to accept the No. 11 jersey at the insistence of Fouad Shahr.
Gonzalez hands over No. 10 jersey
Talking about his goals for the 2023 season, Quintero firmly stated that the team will fight for all the championships, and he himself strongly believes in the strength of the team. Head coach Arturo Reyes revealed that Quintero specializes in side breaks and can play well in either 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 formations.
