He spent a decade at Manchester United - and now he could be heading to Liga MX
Pumas are attempting to sign a forward who had a long spell in the Premier League with Manchester United.
After weeks - if not months - of anticipation, it seems the mystery surrounding Pumas’ marquee transfer targets has finally been unraveled. The rumor mill had been in overdrive, with names like Andrea Belotti, Vincent Aboubakar, Paco Alcácer, Kelechi Iheanacho and Lorenzo Insigne all floated as potential signings. But now, the real contenders have emerged from the shadows.
Renowned transfer market insider César Luis Merlo took to social media to report that two high-profile, albeit complicated, options remain on Pumas’ radar: Cristian “Chicho” Arango and Anthony Martial. Both deals appear difficult to pull off, but sources suggest the club is prepared to fight until the very end to land one of them.
The first name Merlo mentioned was Arango, the Colombian forward currently playing for the San Jose Earthquakes in Major League Soccer. According to Merlo, negotiations have all but collapsed, with the MLS side unwilling to let their star striker leave.
The situation with Martial, however, is more nuanced.
“We’ll have to wait and see”
Regarding Martial, Merlo explained: “AEK is willing to loan him to Pumas at no cost - UNAM would only need to cover his salary. But Martial’s wages are astronomical. Talks have been ongoing for three or four days, but the player hasn’t budged on his demands.
“I’m not ruling it out entirely, but if he hasn’t softened his stance in four days, it’s hard to see that changing now. The reality is Pumas are trying to get Martial, but he’s not willing to give up a single euro. As of now, neither he nor his agent have backed down. If they do, there’s a chance. We’ll have to wait and see.”
With the clock ticking, the next 24 hours could be decisive. If the former Manchester United forward - once hailed as one of France’s brightest young talents - agrees to terms, he could be suiting up for Pumas in the Apertura 2025 and beyond.
🚨Ya arrancamos. A 48 horas del cierre del mercado de la Liga MX. Voy a dar 2 nombres por los que Pumas negocia. ⬇️https://t.co/77yu3d9rss
— César Luis Merlo (@CLMerlo) September 11, 2025
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