His contract ended at the end of the 2010–11 season, having announced in February that he would leave. Arca previously stated that he would take a pay cut to stay at Middlesbrough. But mid–June, he was offered a new contract on reduced terms. On 1 July 2011, Arca was officially a free agent, though Manager Tony Mowbray did not ruled out a return to sign him. After turning down a chance to return to Boca Juniors, Arca re-signed with a two-year contract on 12 August 2011, having previously been released at the beginning of that same transfer window