Jorge Ruvalcaba to leave Pumas, making way for Uriel Antuna | OneFootball

Pumas pulled the trigger on a deal to lure Tigres winger Uriel Antuna to the club, which has had a knock-on effect as Jorge Ruvalcaba is set to draw a curtain after four years.

Ruvalcaba, 24, is set to switch Liga MX for MLS, in a move which will take him to the New York Red Bulls for a reported $6.5 million, TUDN reports.

In the Apertura, the winger was instrumental for a Pumas side which failed to reach the playoffs. Throughout the campaign, he scored five goals and provided three assists, but will be most remembered for scoring a crucial goal to send Los Universitarios to the Apertura play-in, defeating city-rivals Cruz Azul.

A move north of the border opens the door for a new attacker to enter the ranks, and after months of rumours, Pumas are on the verge of getting their man: Uriel Antuna.

Uriel Antuna to Pumas?

Antuna is a former Cruz Azul star with 64 caps for Mexico. In 111 appearances for La Máquina, Antuna scored 29 goals and contributed with 13 assists. But his performances during the 2023/24 season especially stood out, as he helps Azul reach the 2024 Liga MX Clausura final.

All this caught the eye of the Tigres, who engineered a move north. Unfortunately, Antuna’s play has been a shadow of his former self. In his two years with Los Felinos, Antuna has struggled to force a way into the first team, often being replaced by the likes of Juan Brunetta, Diego Lainez and the latest signing, former Atlético Madrid and World Cup winner, Ángel Correa.

His exclusion from the first team led to negotiations away from Tigres, with Pumas at the very top of that list. Furthermore, Antuna wants to rejoin El Trí for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, which he cannot do if he’s not a regular starter this season.

As reported by César Luis Merlo, a deal has been completed for the 28-year-old to return to the capital, with it being a matter of time before the transfer is announced.

When will Antuna feature for Pumas?

As an official announcement is yet to be confirmed, it is unlikely that Antuna will be in the squad to host his boyhood club, Santos Laguna, this weekend.

Pumas are now heading into a busy period, as they prepare to face San Diego FC in the Concacaf Champions Cup next week, which may even be too soon for the winger.

If a deal is completed over the next few days, which is expected, then fans could expect to see the former Cruz Azul starlet make his debut against Atlas at the Estadio Jalisco on Saturday, 7th February.