Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa to leave Club América for Serie A

In a move that we thought could happen but didn’t necessarily expect, Mexican international goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa is to leave Club América. Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio has revealed on Twitter that Ochoa, whose contract with Las Águilas was due to run out on 31 December, had agreed a move to Serie A side Salernitana.

It was announced on Monday that América had recruited Necaxa shotstopper Luis Malagón although the club were anticipating that 37-year-old Ochoa would sign a new contract and that Malagón would initially serve as backup. However, it appears that is not going to be the case, with Di Marzio stating that the Mexican number one will sign a short-term deal with Salernitana until the end of June 2023.

How many games did Guillermo Ochoa play for Club América?

Ocha, who started all three matches for El Tri at the Qatar 2022 World Cup, has made a total of 418 appearances for América across two spells, the first of which came between 2004 and 2011. In that time, he enjoyed some early success with the club, winning the 2005 Clausura tournament and the Copa de Campeones that same year, before going on to lift the CONCACAF Champions League trophy in 2006.

A seven-year spell in Europe saw him play in Ligue 1 with Ajaccio, in LaLiga for Málaga and Granada and then in Belgium with Standard Liège. Ochoa, who has 134 caps for Mexico, returned to América but has been unable to inspire them to a first league title with the 2018 Apertura.

Salernitana are currently in their second season in Serie A in Italy having been promoted from in summer 2021. They escaped relegation by a single point in 2021-22 but are faring much better this time around, as they currently sit in 12th spot in the table, 10 points clear of the bottom three.