One of the brightest young Mexican players who has a lot of hype from Mexican fans is the 20-year-old midfielder Elias Montiel. The Pachuca midfielder is considered one of the best midfielders in Liga MX, and many suggest that the player should play in Europe.
After an impressive few seasons with Pachuca and a decent Club World Cup performance, Montiel has been on the radar of many European teams.
Montiel played in the U-20 World Cup for Mexico in October, where he played as the captain and led Mexico to reach the quarterfinals.
According to Super Deportivo A.M., Montiel is close to joining Real Oviedo, and his departure from Pachuca is imminent. Montiel could potentially join the La Liga club in January.
The winter transfer window opens on January 1st, 2026, and with six months left of the 2026 World Cup, Montiel's move to Europe this soon could make him a strong option for Javier Aguirre to call him up for upcoming Mexico friendly matches.
Elias Montiel and Pachuca
After the U-20 World Cup in Chile with the U-20 Mexican National Team, Elias Montiel did not play for Pachuca after suffering an injury during the youth tournament.
Montiel was back in the squad for Pachuca's play-in match against FC Juárez, but did not come off the bench last week.
Montiel's last match for Pachuca was on September 13, 2025, in a 0-1 home loss to Cruz Azul at the Estadio Hidalgo. Montiel played 90 minutes and then was taken off to be replaced by Gaston Togni.
Montiel has a contract with Pachuca until 2028.
Do you think Elias Montiel will do well in La Liga or in another European league? Let us know your thoughts.