Monterrey’s Maxi Meza is being targeted by Sevilla

Having hardly had any time to find out where the training ground canteen is and where he should hang his coat, Diego Alonso, Sevilla’s new manager, is already being linked with signing players in the January market.

The rumour comes from Mexico, where it is being heavily suggested that Sevilla’s Uruguayan manager is aiming to secure the signature of Monterrey’s Argentine attacker, Maxi Meza, along with former Real Betis midfielder, Sergio Canales.

‘When the moment comes for decisions to be made, we’ll see’

The information comes from as close to the horse’s mouth as one can get: the Rayados manager, Tano Ortiz. The boss of the Liga MX side said when asked that “the truth is I don’t know anything. If there’s a real interest in from Alonso in a player from our club then, well, when the moment comes for decisions to be made about Maxi’s future, if he stays or if he goes, we’ll see, but for now it makes me happy for Maxi to see interest in him if that’s what Alonso wants.” As answers to transfer speculation go, it doesn’t get much clearer than that.

The only spanner in the works is that the potential signing of Maxi Meza does not entirely fit with the transfer model employed by Sevilla and their sporting director, Victor Orta, who saw English side Leeds United relegated to the second division before leaving for southern Spain.

How much would Sevilla have to pay for Meza?

Meza, despite his obvious quality, is not a player who fits in with the model of buying cheap and selling high, a strategy that has seen Sevilla through moments of glory over the past years. The Argentine, who can play in all positions in the attacking line but preferably on the right, is 30-years-old and will be 31 in December.

What is true is that the player’s contract is set to expire at the end of the calendar year and this does increase the likelihood of his arrival becoming a reality, as Sevilla would not need to negotiate with the Mexican club but only the player.

Rumours have circulated about a potential agreement with Monterrey over a contract extension, although nothing is confirmed at this moment in time.

Meza has, over the past few days, been linked with a move to Brazilian side Gremio, along with current Rayados teammate, Rogelio Funes Mori. Monterrey are said to be asking for a fee of around $2 million for Rogelio Funes Mori, a price that is very much within reach for the Brazilian club who are working out how to survive given the impending exit of Luis Suárez.