Liga MX’s Club America Signs Nestor Araujo & Jurgen Damm

Posted on June 24, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Nestor Araujo and Jurgen Damm has joined the Club…

Liga MX giants Club America have announced the signings of the 30-year-old Mexican professional footballer and the 29-year-old Mexican professional footballer.

The news was made official on Friday, just eight days away from the team’s 2022 Apertura season-opener against Atlas on July 2.

Club America will pay Celta Vigo up to $4 million for Araujo, with $3 million up front and the rest determined by performance-related incentives, according to Spain’s Faro de Vigo.

The central defender has signed a three-year deal with Las Aguilas, reported ESPN MX.

Damm, who has been part of Club America’s preseason training, will have a six-month contract with a possible six-month extension.

Damm has yet to play an official match in 2022 after Atlanta United exercised an offseason buyout of his guaranteed contract in February. Prior to his stint in MLS from 2020-21, he played for Tigres in Liga MX.

Araujo is returning from Europe after a four-season stay with Celta Vigo in LaLiga. He was a key figure for the mid-table Spanish side that narrowly avoided relegation when he arrived in 2018. The veteran will look to continue claiming regular minutes ahead of an expected spot on Mexico’s roster for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The signings of Araujo and Damm follow Club America’s headline-stealing addition of Uruguay forward Jonathan “Cabecita” Rodriguez earlier this week.

On Wednesday, Las Aguilas gained a 5-2 preseason win over Leon at San Jose Earthquakes‘ PayPal Park. Manager Fernando Ortiz and his roster will soon head back to Mexico City, where they will prepare for next week’s start of the 2022 Apertura.

Atletico Madrid’s Hector Herrera Acquired by Houston Dynamo on Designated Player Deal

Posted on March 1, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a dynamo-ite time for Hector Herrera…

The 31-year-old Mexican soccer player and Mexico international midfielder has been acquired by the Houston Dynamo from Atletico Madrid on a Designated Player deal, according to ESPN sources.

Herrera will join up with Houston on a free transfer when his contract with Atletico expires in the summer.

The move amounts to the second massive acquisition of general manager Pat Onstad‘s tenure. Earlier this year, thanks to the deep pockets of new owner Ted Segal, Onstad signed Libertad forward Sebastian Ferreira.

In Herrera, Houston has now acquired a well-known El Tri player in a city with deep ties to Mexico, one that should generate a significant uptick in interest for the club.

Herrera’s on-field contribution should be immense as well, providing experience and composure on the ball to a young Houston side.

Herrera broke into the professional ranks in 2010 with Liga MX side Pachuca and went on to make 55 league and cup appearances, scoring two goals. He was soon Europe-bound, signing with Portuguese giants Porto in 2013 for a fee of almost $9 million. He went on to become a mainstay for the Dragons, making 245 league and cup appearances, scoring 35 goals while helping Porto to the 2017-18 Primeira Liga title.

After six seasons with Porto, Herrera moved to LaLiga with Atletico, where he made 71 league and cup appearances, scoring one goal. His contributions helped Atleti claim the 2020-21 LaLiga crown.

At international level, Herrera has been a constant presence for Mexico, making 96 appearances and scoring 10 goals. He was part of the side that won an Olympic gold medal at the 2012 games in London, and took part in the 2014 and 2018 World Cups.

TUDN was the first to report that a deal between the Dynamo and Herrera and been agreed.

Carlos Ferreira ThisClose to Deal with Houston Dynamo

Posted on January 9, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Things are turning out dynamo-ite for Carlos Ferreira …

The Houston Dynamo are closing in on a deal for the 22-year-old Paraguayan football player, a Paraguay youth international and Libertad player, according to ESPN.

ESPN sources claim Ferreira is expected to fly to Houston in the next few days to finalize the deal, with the agreed transfer fee around $6 million.

If the deal is completed, Ferreira will join a Houston side in need of attacking help, with Dynamo’s 36 goals in 2021 tied for the second-worst mark in Major League Soccer.

Ferreira began his professional career in his native Paraguay with Olimpia in 2016. He subsequently was loaned to Paraguayan second tier side Independiente FBC, where he scored 13 goals in 19 matches in 2018.

Later that year he moved to Liga MX side Morelia — now Mazatlan — where he went on to score 16 goals in 52 league and cup appearances.

In 2020, Ferreira was loaned to Libertad in his home country, where he has scored 34 goals in 78 league and cup appearances.

At international level, Ferreira has represented Paraguay at under-17, under-20 and under-23 level, but has yet to make an appearance with the senior team.

Orbelin Pineda Joins LaLiga Side Celta Vego

Posted on January 8, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Orbelin Pineda is heading to LaLiga…

The 25-year-old Mexican professional footballer and Mexico international has joined LaLiga side Celta Vigo from Liga MX club Cruz Azul.

The move comes after several months of rumors about a potential deal, with Celta confirming Pineda will have a five-year contract through June 2027.

Pineda’s career has been on the rise in the last couple of years for club and country and is expected to bolster Celta’s attack, playing on the wings or in a more interior midfield role.

With Cruz Azul, he was a key figure who helped them end their title drought through a Liga MX championship in the 2021 Clausura.

With the Mexican national team, he has recently established himself as a reliable option for manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino through six World Cup qualifying appearances in 2021.

At Celta, he’ll now be tasked with helping rejuvenate the Galician side that have made a very gradual and slow climb out of the bottom and into the mid-table of Spain’s top flight this season.

Pineda’s transfer is the first and only move so far of the winter window for a Mexican talent from Liga MX into a major European league.

Liga MX has proven to be an insular transfer market that can hold onto domestic names like Pineda, and in his case, the player had to wait until he was a free agent to make the leap to Spain.

Now at Celta, Pineda will play alongside fellow El Tri teammate, defender Nestor Araujo. Celta’s coach, Eduardo “Chacho” Coudet, also spent time in Liga MX through a short stint as manager of Club Tijuana in 2017.

https://twitter.com/RCCeltaEN/status/1479471663897100292

Rodolfo Pizarro Returning to Liga MX’s Monterrey Side

Posted on January 4, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Rodolfo Pizarro is returning to his old stomping grounds…

Major League Soccer side Inter Miami CF has loaned the 27-year-old Mexican professional footballer and Mexico international to Liga MX club Monterrey, the clubs announced on Tuesday.

It marks a return to Los Rayados for Pizarro, who initially left the club to join David Beckham‘s Miami side as a Designated Player for its inaugural 2020 season. The loan includes an option to make the move permanent.

“This loan gives the club more options to continue managing our roster. We are working tirelessly to acquire the right players that will help us attain our objectives moving forward. We’re glad to have found an opportunity for Rodolfo to continue developing in Mexico and wish him well during his loan,” said Inter Miami CF Chief Soccer Officer and Sporting Director Chris Henderson.

Pizarro appeared in 47 matches and tallied seven goals and 12 assists during his time at Miami, playing under coaches Diego Alonso and Phil Neville. He played 64 games with nine goals during his first stint with Monterrey.

The Tampico, Tamaulipas native won a Liga MX title in each of his stints with Pachuca, Chivas and Monterrey and also won the CONCACAF Champions League with the latter two sides.

By joining the defending CONCACAF Champions League winners for a second time, Pizarro is set to participate with Monterrey at the Club World Cup in February.

Paulo Nagamura to Serve as Houston Dynamo’s Next Team Manager

Posted on December 28, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Paulo Nagamura is a dynamo…

The Houston Dynamo has agreed to terms with the 38-year-old Brazilian former professional footballer and coach to be the team’s next manager, according to ESPN.

Glenn Davis, the Dynamo’s play-by-play announcer and host of Soccer Matters on ESPN Houston, was the first to report the selection of Nagamura.

Nagamura replaces Tab Ramos, whose contract wasn’t renewed following the 2021 season. The search was conducted by new Dynamo GM Pat Onstad.

Nagamura was most recently manager of Sporting Kansas City‘s reserve side.

In four seasons as Sporting Kansas City II manager, Nagamura recorded a record of 30-61-25, as the organization focused on youth development. He also served as an assistant with the team in 2017. During his time with the team, the Brazilian coached 15 of the organization’s homegrown players, as well as 23 academy products. Included in this group is current Venezia and United States international midfielder Gianluca Busio.

As a player, Nagamura came up through the youth systems of Sao Paulo and Arsenal before signing with the LA Galaxy in 2005, where he won an MLS Cup and U.S. Open Cup double.

He later went on to play for Toronto FC, Chivas USA, and Liga MX side Tigres, before finishing his career with SKC.

With SKC, Nagamura won two more U.S. Open Cup titles as well as another MLS Cup crown in 2013. Overall, he made over 270 appearances, scoring 15 goals.

Jonathan dos Santos Joins Liga MX Side Club America

Posted on December 23, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Jonathan dos Santos is headed back to his home country…

The 31-year-old Mexican professional footballer and former LA Galaxy captain has joined Club America, the Liga MX side announced on Thursday.

The deal would be for two years, according to ESPN reports, with the Mexico City side announcing on Thursday that the El Tri star had officially joined the team.

The Liga MX Clausura season kicks off on January 7. Las Aguilas finished atop the regular season table of the recently completed Apetura campaign but were ousted in the playoffs, with Atlas winning the title.

Dos Santos was a free agent after the Galaxy stated in late November that it had parted ways with the former designated player.

“I feel I’m in pretty good shape. I am 31 years old. People say that I am coming to retire here; that’s not true. I still have a lot to give in my career and to this club. I am hungry. I want to win titles with América and make the fans happy,” Dos Santos said.

During his time with the Galaxy that started in 2017, Dos Santos made 103 appearances for the club and was selected as an MLS All-Star in the 2018 and 2019 seasons. In his last two years, injuries took a toll on regular appearances.

The move to Liga MX is a first for Dos Santos, who has previously also played in LaLiga for Barcelona and Villarreal. Jonathan’s older brother Giovani, currently a free agent, previously played for Club America before being dropped over the summer.

“Since I was a kid, I dreamed that one day I would play in America. My father played here, Gio too, the Dos Santos’ already made history in this club,” Dos Santos said. “My dad always told us, you have to play for America, you have to fulfill that dream. It’s the best team in Mexico. I left the country 20 years ago, so having the opportunity to return and play for the best team is a big honor for me.”

Dos Santos’ move to Club America comes two days after fellow El Tri teammate Sebastian Cordova left Las Aguilas for Tigres UANL.

Lucas Zelarayan Signs New Three-Year Contract with Columbus Crew

Posted on December 4, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Lucas Zelarayan isn’t leaving his Crew…

The Columbus Crew have signed the 29-year-old Argentine attacking midfielder to a new three-year contract that will keep him with the team through at least 2024.

The Designated Player deal also contains a club option for 2025.

Zelarayan spent the last two seasons with the Crew, leading Columbus to the 2020 MLS Cup title — a match in which he was named MVP — and winning that season’s Newcomer of the Year award.

In 53 appearances across all competitions, he scored 21 goals and added 19 assists.

“Over the past two seasons Lucas has proven himself to be one of the top game-changers in MLS and we are excited to sign him to a new contract,” Crew general manager Tim Bezbatchenko said in a statement. “Lucas has proven that he can perform under pressure, and he shines time and time again when the spotlight is brightest. We look forward to seeing what else Lucas and the team can achieve together in 2022 and beyond.”

A native of Cordoba, Argentina, Zelarayan rose through the ranks of Belgrano‘s academy all the way to the first team, making his debut as a 19-year-old in 2012. He went on to make 81 league and cup appearances, scoring 10 goals.

In 2016, Zelarayan moved to Liga MX side Tigres UANL. He went on to make 140 league and cup appearances, scoring 23 goals, and leading Tigres to three Liga MX crowns and three Campeon de Campeones titles.

At the international level, Zelarayan qualified for Armenian citizenship through his father, and has earned four caps for the Armenia national team, making his debut in October of 2021 against Iceland in a UEFA group-stage match for FIFA World Cup qualification.

Hirving “Chucky” Lozano Among Players Called Up by Mexico for World Cup Qualifiers vs. U.S., Canada

Posted on November 4, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Hirving “Chucky” Lozano is getting called up…

The 26-year-old Mexican professional footballer, who plays for Napoli, will headline a strong squad when Mexico faces its last World Cup qualifiers of 2021.

Lozano will be joined by Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Raul Jimenez and 24 other players by Mexico manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino to face the United States and Canada for two tough road games to close out their 2021 schedule.

El Tri will face the Stars and Stripes on November 12 in Cincinnati before facing off against the Canadians four days later in Edmonton.

In total, Martino named eight Europe-based players to the squad, with Lozano, Jimenez and Porto winger Jesus “Tecatito” Corona once again expected to head Mexico’s attack.

Atletico Madrid‘s Hector Herrera was also recalled, along with veteran central midfielder Andres Guardado (Real Betis).

Edson Alvarez (Ajax), fresh off qualifying to the Round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League, is another star named to Martino’s squad.

Johan Vasquez (Genoa) and Nestor Araujo (Celta Vigo) are expected to anchor the central defense.

Among those who’ll miss out on this window include Betis winger Diego Lainez and Genk defender Gerardo Arteaga. Lainez has been slowly coming back into the fold for Betis after an injury sidelined him for the first months of the season.

Arteaga, on the other hand, has featured regularly for the Belgian side but has reportedly received the ire of Martino for declining a previous call-up. In Arteaga’s absence, Liga MX stars Luis Rodriguez (Tigres) and Jorge Sanchez (Club America) are expected to start in the full-back positions.

Veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa (Club America) heads the goalkeeping position, along with Rodolfo Cota (Leon) and Alfredo Talavera (UNAM).

Other Liga MX-based forwards named to the team include Rogelio Funes Mori (Monterrey) and Henry Martin (Club America).

With 14 points in six matches, Mexico currently sits first in CONCACAF‘s final round of World Cup qualifying, three more than second-place U.S. and four more than Canada.

Miguel Avalos Signs Professional Contract with LA Galaxy II

Posted on March 20, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Miguel Avalos is looking forward to officially playing pro soccer…

The Mexican-American soccer player and Mexico Under-17 international has signed a professional contract with LA Galaxy II of the USL Championship, according to ESPN.

After attending a showcase held in 2018 by Alianza de Futbol, Avalos was signed by Liga MX side Pachuca. But Avalos, a native of Santa Rosa, California, was unable to play in games due to FIFA rules prohibiting players under the age of 18 from moving to a different country purely for soccer purposes. Now another door to professional soccer has opened with the Galaxy II.

“It’s very exciting, because I was in Pachuca for about a year and unfortunately, I wasn’t able to play because of the FIFA rule,” Avalos said in an exclusive interview with ESPN. “So, moving out here to LA, it’s amazing being able to play, and I’m excited to play this season.”

Avalos, who projects as a two-way midfielder, has been training with Los Dos [LA Galaxy II] since last July, giving him some time to adapt to the increased physicality that comes with playing against older players. The presence of Galaxy director of methodology Juan Carlos Ortega, who was previously involved with Mexico’s youth national teams, provided an additional boost.

“It hasn’t been easy, but at the same time it’s also really good playing with older players, a lot more experienced players,” Avalos said. “It’s gonna help me develop as a player, not only on the field, off the field as well.”

Avalos’ move to the Galaxy organization was hampered by the fact that Sacramento Republic held the player’s MLS Homegrown rights. But with Sacramento’s expansion bid on indefinite hold following the withdrawal of lead investor Ron Burkle, as well as the fact that LA Galaxy II is technically under the auspices of the USL, allowed the player to move under the Galaxy umbrella.

As a dual national, Avalos has the chance to represent either Mexico or the U.S., but at the moment he’s firmly in the Mexico camp.

“It’s not an easy decision,” he said of his international future. “The U.S., they haven’t reached out to me, not yet. But if it comes down to it, and I had to make a decision, I’d have to talk to my family about that.”

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