As it is hard to believe, the MLS has rapidly become new adventures for many players to join the league from the Liga MX and making their way back from their European cruise, and Oswaldo won’t be the first player to go or the last.
Recently the notable all-time scoring player for the national team of Mexico, Javier Hernandez, made the sudden move to LA Galaxy for the MLS 2020 season and although it captured much attention across the nation of Mexico and the US, it has become evident that many players have taken that route than returning to the Liga MX.
Hernandez is one of the few that will dispute in the 2020 MLS season, along with fellow Mexican players Jonathan Dos Santos, Carlos Vela of LA FC, Carlos Fierro of San Jose Earthquakes and Alan Pulido of Sporting Kansas City. The number keeps growing without a doubt.
More than likely, in the next few days defender of Chivas, Oswaldo Alanis could be making his move to the MLS if he is not considered with another club in the Liga MX as the only team interested in him is Rayados. Alanis has not become a notable face with Chivas since midway through the Apertura 2019 and has not seen any minutes in the Clausura 2020. Let us not forget that the left-footed defender has great experience behind playing with top club teams in the Liga MX as well, having a quick venture in Spain, with Getafe and Real Oviedo and most importantly being a participant with the national team of Mexico since 2014.
At 30 years of age Alanis surely is thinking of his future career as his time is winding down in his career, so cashing in a check in the MLS sounds about right for him at this moment.
But at the moment in the last few years players that were part of the Liga MX that made a big splash with their club teams made the surprising move that many did not expect but it has slowly become more understandable.
- Lucas Cavallini (27 years of age) made the move from Puebla to Vancouver Whitecaps in December 2019, after spending nearly 2 years and a half in the Liga MX.
- Lucas Zelarayan (27 years of age) went from the power team Tigres to Columbus Crew SC also in the month of December 2019. The 27-year-old play-maker surely will have an outstanding season in the MLS.
- Brian Fernandez (25 years of age), after making incredible goals and being avid participate with Necaxa, Fernandez tried his luck with Portland Timbers and had an outstanding performance. Scoring 11 goals in 19 games, Fernandez demonstrated he could have outstanding performances but his outside activities ending his contract prematurely.
- Raul Ruidiaz (29 years of age), the once Liga MX scoring monster for Monarcas Morelia continued scoring for Seattle Sounders since joining the MLS in 2018 and has yet shown any slow down in his career.
- Edison Flores (25 years of age), after spending two years with Monarcas Morelia, Flores will have a new start for the 2020 year being part of D.C. United, after scoring 12 goals in 45 appearances in the Liga MX, he will search to be a key contributor for his new club team.
- Darwin Quintero (32 years of age), after spending 10 years in the Liga MX, Quintero joined Minnesota United in March 2018, where the Colombian has had remarkable numbers during his tenure in Minnesota, but now will continue his savvy skills with Houston Dynamo.
The shift is obvious now for many players on choosing the MLS and making it a hard pill to swallow for Liga MX fans on accepting that the MLS might no longer be considered a “retirement league,” but that all depends on how you see it.
Are they to blame all of a sudden? With all the issues that occur in Mexico outside of the field as for safe security for the players and their families or better yet the ongoing situation of various club teams having issues paying their players their distinct wages. Most importantly, the playing time players are not offered in the Liga MX, were in the MLS they could be granted more minutes and exposure to be the face of the team.
Regardless, this is quickly setting up a bigger rivalry between the MLS and the Liga MX! Could we see the MLS being a top competitive league in the near future, could they also over throne the Liga MX in viewership on TV as well, welcome more caliber players across the world? Time will tell, but one thing is certain that the Liga MX needs to prepare themselves in competing against the MLS, quickly!