Alexis Vega officially joins Toluca from Chivas: how much of a pay cut will he take?

The Alexis Vega transfer saga is officially over. After Chivas had publicly revealed on social media the Mexico national team winger had left the club, and after he had been spotted training with Toluca, The Red Devils confirmed they had re-signed the 26-year-old via a “creative” video on their Instagram account (is there any other way nowadays?).

Controversial end to Vega’s lucrative Chivas spell

Vega endured a controversial end to his time with Guadalajara, who he joined from Toluca for a reported $9 million in 2018, becoming the highest-paid player in the club’s history when he signed a new contract in May 2022. According to reports, he had been due to earn $5 million up until the summer of June 2024.

However, his spell with Chivas has been cut short, largely as a result of the disciplinary issues that saw him internally suspended during the Apertura 2023 campaign. Vega and Cristián Calderón, as well as youth-team player Raúl Martínez, were banished from the first-team squad after reportedly sneaking women into the team hotel following Guadalajara’s 1-1 Liga MX draw away to - ironically - Toluca on 1 October. The winger sat out the next five games but did return for the final fixture of the league phase, as well as both legs of the playoff defeat to Pumas, coming off the bench in all three games.

Chivas and Vega take financial hits

Vega leaves Chivas without winning a trophy in five years and his old club have reportedly taken a $7.5 million loss, with Toluca paying $1.5 million to re-sign their former star. The player himself has also taken a financial hit to return “home”, with his contract with The Red Devils worth 30% less than his record-breaking deal in Guadalajara.

The attacker made his professional debut for Toluca at the age of 18 in February 2016 and went on to score 15 goals in 75 appearances for the club before his big-money move to Chivas.

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