Diego Maradona has chosen Independiente ace Daniel Montenegro as the likely successor to Juan Roman Riquelme.

Riquelme announced on Wednesday that he would no longer play for Argentina, as the Boca Juniors player believes he has differences of "principles" with Maradona.

Maradona will on Friday announce his squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela (March 28) and Bolivia (April 1), and 29-year-old playmaker Montenegro appears to be in line to add to his one cap.

"Montenegro has become the person who has to sort a number of things out. I hope he does not step down," Maradona told Radio del Plata.

"However, it does not mean I am announcing he will start the Venezuela match. Now I have to review how to play Venezuela.

"I was thinking of three forwards with Riquelme behind them, but now I will have to analyse how I can attack Venezuela the same way but without Riquelme."

Maradona remains disappointed by Riquelme's decision.

The former Villarreal midfielder has made 51 appearances and scored 17 goals for Argentina, and Maradona believes the player's agent Marcos Franchi influenced Riquelme.

"Those were not Riquelme's words. They were set up by someone. Riquelme offered a very strange press conference. It was prepared by somebody," Maradona claimed.

"The worst thing people can say about me is that I don't have principles.

"I thought Roman felt the national shirt and playing in the national team meant everything. Roman is 30 years old and it was his last chance to prove he had what it takes to play the World Cup in outstanding form.

"(Brazil coach) Dunga, (Venezuela boss) Cesar Farias, the coaches of Italy (Marcello Lippi), the coach of Germany (Joachim Low) may be happy for this. In Argentina, we all lose. Unfortunately, there is no way to turn this around.

"Everything I do is for the national team. It is not a matter of Maradona versus Riquelme. It is only the shirt. The national shirt is beyond us, beyond everybody. It must be defended with or without Riquelme, with or without Maradona."