# Tomás Aranda
**Tomás Aranda** (Tomás Leandro Aranda, born 2007 in Ciudadela, Buenos Aires) is an Argentine footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder and left-sided midfielder for [Boca Juniors](https://www.edgepedia.org/boca-juniors) in the Argentine Liga Profesional.[1](https://www.transfermarkt.us/tomas-aranda/profil/spieler/1322355) • [2](https://www.fotmob.com/players/1899032/tomas-aranda) Right-footed and about 1.72 m tall, he broke into Boca's first team at 18 during the 2026 season and earned a senior Argentina call-up the same year.[1](https://www.transfermarkt.us/tomas-aranda/profil/spieler/1322355) • [3](https://es.besoccer.com/jugador/t-aranda-3618093)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name / born | Tomás Leandro Aranda, 2007, Ciudadela, Buenos Aires, Argentina[1](https://www.transfermarkt.us/tomas-aranda/profil/spieler/1322355) |
| Club | Boca Juniors, first-team squad from January 2026; contract to December 31, 2029[1](https://www.transfermarkt.us/tomas-aranda/profil/spieler/1322355) • [3](https://es.besoccer.com/jugador/t-aranda-3618093) |
| Position | Attacking midfielder (primary), also left midfielder and left winger; right-footed[2](https://www.fotmob.com/players/1899032/tomas-aranda) |
| 2026 Liga Profesional | 20 appearances, 1,202 minutes, 1 goal, 3 assists, 2 yellow cards[4](https://theanalyst.com/players/11597/tomas-aranda) |
| Argentina debut | June 7, 2026, 9 minutes as a substitute in a friendly, aged 19[3](https://es.besoccer.com/jugador/t-aranda-3618093) |
| Injury | Fibula fracture on August 26, 2026; listed as out for the season[2](https://www.fotmob.com/players/1899032/tomas-aranda) |
| Nickname | "Chicle" (bubblegum), from a chewing-gum habit noted by youth coach Lionel Scaloni[5](https://www.footballpresse.com/story/tomas-aranda-how-boca-juniors-are-protecting-their-next-riquelme-wonderkid) |
## Youth career and arrival at Boca
Aranda played as a child for [Argentinos Juniors](https://www.edgepedia.org/argentinos-juniors) while also turning out on Saturdays for Academia Kaly, a neighborhood club in Ituzaingó, and had a formative spell at Club Atlético Ituzaingó.[6](https://www.tycsports.com/boca-juniors/tomas-aranda-rechazo-river-como-fue-su-llegada-a-boca-id725327.html) • [7](https://diarioanticipos.com/2026/06/14/tomas-aranda-del-club-atletico-ituzaingo-a-boca-juniors-y-de-boca-juniors-a-la-seleccion-nacional/) At age seven he declined an approach from River Plate; his youth coach Horacio Ríos recounted the boy's reply, "No, not River! We played them last Sunday and beat them 1-0."[6](https://www.tycsports.com/boca-juniors/tomas-aranda-rechazo-river-como-fue-su-llegada-a-boca-id725327.html)
Boca signed him in 2018 after scouts saw him at a children's tournament (Mundialito) held at the club's Ezeiza training ground, where his team won the final 9-1.[6](https://www.tycsports.com/boca-juniors/tomas-aranda-rechazo-river-como-fue-su-llegada-a-boca-id725327.html) • [8](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/tomas-aranda-ilusiona-a-boca-f202603-n/) He progressed through Boca's reserve side, Boca Juniors II, where he made 38 appearances with 4 goals in the 2024/25 Torneo Proyección season.[3](https://es.besoccer.com/jugador/t-aranda-3618093) He signed his first professional contract in September 2024, and his rise through the youth ranks brought an improved deal in May 2025 extending his link to December 31, 2029.[8](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/tomas-aranda-ilusiona-a-boca-f202603-n/) • [1](https://www.transfermarkt.us/tomas-aranda/profil/spieler/1322355)
## First-team breakthrough
Aranda made his professional debut on January 28, 2026, away to Estudiantes, and accumulated minutes gradually until coach Claudio Úbeda gave him his first start in early March, a 0-3 win over Lanús in which he was the standout player: 82 percent pass accuracy despite frequent risk-taking, 10 ball recoveries, and 8 of 12 duels won.[8](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/tomas-aranda-ilusiona-a-boca-f202603-n/) His first senior goal came in a 2-0 victory over Instituto on March 22, 2026.[4](https://theanalyst.com/players/11597/tomas-aranda)
Across the 2026 Liga Profesional campaign he made 20 appearances, 12 of them starts, totaling 1,202 minutes with 1 goal and 3 assists.[4](https://theanalyst.com/players/11597/tomas-aranda) In all competitions for Boca's first team in 2025/26 he played 32 official matches (2,036 minutes) with 1 goal and 3 assists, including 6 [Copa Libertadores](https://www.edgepedia.org/copa-libertadores) and 4 [Copa Sudamericana](https://www.edgepedia.org/copa-sudamericana) appearances.[3](https://es.besoccer.com/jugador/t-aranda-3618093) His best-rated performances included a 9.4 in a 72-minute outing against Estudiantes and a 9.0 against Racing Club.[3](https://es.besoccer.com/jugador/t-aranda-3618093)
## Playing style
Described as a free-roaming attacking midfielder rather than a fixed number 10, Aranda drops into pockets of space to receive on the half-turn and uses close control to draw fouls; the veteran coach and pundit Néstor Gorosito compared him to [Andrés Iniesta](https://www.edgepedia.org/andres-iniesta).[5](https://www.footballpresse.com/story/tomas-aranda-how-boca-juniors-are-protecting-their-next-riquelme-wonderkid) Statistical profiles place him high among midfielders for touches and shot attempts (94th and 97th percentiles respectively) and low for defensive contributions (7th percentile).[2](https://www.fotmob.com/players/1899032/tomas-aranda) Within months of his breakthrough, Argentine outlets reported scouting interest from European clubs including Manchester City's ownership group, Arsenal, Inter Milan, Chelsea, Como, and Fiorentina, according to Boca's beat reporters.[5](https://www.footballpresse.com/story/tomas-aranda-how-boca-juniors-are-protecting-their-next-riquelme-wonderkid)
## Argentina and injury
Aranda trained with [Lionel Scaloni](https://www.edgepedia.org/lionel-scaloni)'s senior Argentina squad during the 2026 World Cup cycle as part of the support and training group, without making the final 26-player list for the tournament.[7](https://diarioanticipos.com/2026/06/14/tomas-aranda-del-club-atletico-ituzaingo-a-boca-juniors-y-de-boca-juniors-a-la-seleccion-nacional/) He made his senior international debut on June 7, 2026, playing 9 minutes as a substitute in a friendly.[3](https://es.besoccer.com/jugador/t-aranda-3618093)
On August 26, 2026, he suffered a fibula fracture, and FotMob listed him as out for the season with an expected return of "out for season".[2](https://www.fotmob.com/players/1899032/tomas-aranda)
## Market value
Valuations differ by platform: FotMob put his transfer value at €1.1 million, with a peak of €1.8 million on May 1, 2026,[2](https://www.fotmob.com/players/1899032/tomas-aranda) while BeSoccer's model listed 8.09 million euros.[3](https://es.besoccer.com/jugador/t-aranda-3618093) Height is also reported differently across databases, 1.72 m on Transfermarkt and BeSoccer versus 164 cm on Field Insider.[1](https://www.transfermarkt.us/tomas-aranda/profil/spieler/1322355) • [9](https://fieldinsider.com/scout-report/tomas-aranda-510587)
## References
1. [Tomás Aranda – Player profile, Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.us/tomas-aranda/profil/spieler/1322355)
2. [Tomás Aranda – stats, career and market value, FotMob](https://www.fotmob.com/players/1899032/tomas-aranda)
3. [Estadísticas de Tomás Aranda, BeSoccer](https://es.besoccer.com/jugador/t-aranda-3618093)
4. [Tomás Aranda, Opta Analyst](https://theanalyst.com/players/11597/tomas-aranda)
5. [Tomas Aranda: How Boca Juniors are protecting their next Riquelme wonderkid, Football Presse](https://www.footballpresse.com/story/tomas-aranda-how-boca-juniors-are-protecting-their-next-riquelme-wonderkid)
6. [El día que Tomás Aranda rechazó a River y cómo fue su llegada a Boca, TyC Sports](https://www.tycsports.com/boca-juniors/tomas-aranda-rechazo-river-como-fue-su-llegada-a-boca-id725327.html)
7. [Tomás Aranda: Del Club Atlético Ituzaingó a Boca Juniors y de Boca Juniors a la Selección Nacional, Diario Anticipos](https://diarioanticipos.com/2026/06/14/tomas-aranda-del-club-atletico-ituzaingo-a-boca-juniors-y-de-boca-juniors-a-la-seleccion-nacional/)
8. [Tomás Aranda ilusiona a Boca, AS.com](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/tomas-aranda-ilusiona-a-boca-f202603-n/)
9. [Tomás Aranda – Stats, Rating & Scouting Report, Field Insider](https://fieldinsider.com/scout-report/tomas-aranda-510587)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of South America › Argentine men's footballers › Argentine midfielders*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license