After the sale of Gastón Martirena to Santos, Racing is searching for a right back and has identified 25-year-old Argentinian Juan Barinaga of Boca as a target. He is not currently in the plans of manager Rodolfo Arruabarrena. According to information from TyC Sports, Boca has given Barinaga permission to negotiate personal terms with Racing, which is attempting to sign him on loan. This conflicts with Boca's desire to either sell the player or agree to a loan that includes an obligation to buy. Barinaga is one of several right backs being considered by Racing; the club's list also includes Emanuel Coronel, Augusto Schott, and Juan Ignacio Saborido. During this same transfer window, Peñarol also showed interest in the player and discussed a loan with a purchase option. Barinaga joined Boca in August 2024 and his contract runs until the end of 2028. He has made 9 appearances in the Torneo Apertura during the 2025/2026 season, and his current market value on Transfermarkt is €2.80m.