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An intriguing transfer rumor has emerged in recent days regarding the San Jose Earthquakes, but the most recent development may put it on ice.
The Earthquakes reportedly made a transfer offer for defender Miguel Layún from Liga MX outfit Monterrey, according to ESPN on Monday. Details of the offer were not reported, but Layún, a 32-year-old fullback who can play on both flanks, would be the biggest signing yet of the Matias Almeyda era.
However, while this rumor has been rumbling for several days and team GM Jesse Fioranelli last week teased more moves to come, including something to address the Quakes’ defense, local reporter Carlos Ramirez tweeted on Wednesday that the deal appears to be off, with Monterrey ending discussions.
⚽️QUAKES⚽️
— Carlos M. Ramírez (@Tomapapa) January 27, 2021
Per sources, @rayados has pulled out of the negotiations with the @SJEarthquakes for Miguel Layun.
The Mexican international was arguably the biggest target in the Almeyda Era.
It's unclear if there's a chance that the conversations might be reengaged.
Layún has had one of the most interesting career trajectories of his generation. The Mexico native began playing for his local club, Veracruz, in 2007 before getting a move to Italian club Atalanta in 2009. But that didn’t work out, so he revived his career in earnest with Club América, playing over 100 games across four years and winning two Liga MX titles, while breaking through to the Mexican national team.
In 2015, Layún made the unusual move of going to England, playing for Watford both in the Championship and Premier League. Then he went to Portuguese giant Porto, and had stops in Spain for Sevilla and Villarreal before returning to Mexico to play for Monterrey in 2019.
In addition to his two titles with América, Layún won the league title with Porto and a treble in 2019 with Monterrey, including the Concacaf Champions League.
He’s at an advanced age, but Layún is vastly experienced and is good both in defense and in attack. I think he’s long been underrated and perhaps moving around so much has obscured his impact, but he’s been very good. He has had injury issues at times, so that is a potential concern, alongside his age.
That being said, it’s unclear if Monterrey have stopped negotiations as merely a ploy for leverage or if a chance at a deal is truly dead. If it is, then the Earthquakes will have to move on to the next transfer target, but we’ll see what happens on this and any other transfer rumors moving forward.
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