Hot Stove League: Liga MX All-Star Talavera moves to border

We’ve got some big names switching jerseys this month as the Liga MX Hot Stove League continues to sizzle.

Goalie Alfredo Talavera has left UNAM and will be calling Ciudad Juárez home. Three-time Liga MX champ Adrián Aldrete has moved to a new home in Mexico City, trading in his Cruz Azul jersey for a Pumas kit.

Edgar Méndez has returned to Liga MX three years after leaving Cruz Azul for La Liga’s Alavés. The 32-year-old Spanish winger has joined Necaxa on a free.

And last, but not least, wingback Byron Castillo will be calling León home with the knowledge that he did not cost Ecuador its spot in the upcoming World Cup.

Catching up on transactions in Liga MX

After rejecting UNAM’s contract extension offer, El Tri back-up netminder Alfredo Talavera signed on the dotted line with FC Juárez where he’ll be reunited with another former Toluca legend Hernán Cristante.

Cristante – newly named as Bravos manager – won five Liga MX titles as a goalkeeper with Toluca before turning to coaching. He was Talavera’s coach at Toluca for three years (2016-2019) before “Tala” joined UNAM in 2020.

However, lest you think that is automatically a positive, Cristante and Talavera had a couple of rows while together in Toluca. So that bears watching.

The 39-year-old Talavera gave the Pumas four seasons of All Star quality play between the pipes but insisted on a two-year contract extension while UNAM initially proposed a one-year deal. Even though the Pumas increased their offer, the damage had been done and “Tala” now joins his fifth Liga MX club.

UNAM quickly shrugged off their negotiating mistake and brought in veteran left back Adrián Aldrete. The highly decorated defender (he was a member of Mexico’s 2005 World Cup-winning Under-17 team in addition to his three Liga MX winner’s medals) will add some savvy to the Pumas back line.

Aldrete was seen as surplus to needs at Cruz Azul but the 33-year-old Guadalajara native will provide coach Andrés Lillini with some security on defense especially as he has experience playing central defender as well. Aldrete won Liga MX titles with the other two Mexico City teams he played for (América – Clausura 2013; Cruz Azul – Guardianes 2021) so Pumas fans hope he can complete a hat trick.

Edgar Méndez joined a talented Cementeros team in 2017 while Spaniard Paco Jémez was the manager. The powerful winger recorded 16 goals and added 13 assists in 101 appearances across all competitions for Cruz Azul. One of his goals came against Necaxa, but that will be forgiven if he can bolster a modest Rayos attack force.

Over in León, Esmeraldas fans will hope that Byron Castillo makes a splash similar to that made by his countryman Angel Mena who has helped “La Fiera” to three Liga MX Finals and one title in the past three years.

Castillo and Mena were teammates on the Ecuador national team during the World Cup qualifying campaign but Castillo’s presence was challenged by Chile who claimed the 23-year-old was actually born in Colombia, accusing their South American rivals of using a falsified birth certificate. On Friday, FIFA knocked down the Chilean protest, frustrating the “La Roja” bid to take Ecuador’s place in Qatar.

Leaving that aside, Castillo might be expected to fill the spot on the flank vacated by Jean Meneses though he can also play right back. He had 9 goals and 17 assists while playing for Barcelona in Ecuador’s Serie A.