Pumas close in on ex-Premier League goalkeeper

UNAM Pumas have been on a desperate search for a goalkeeper in recent weeks following the injury to Pablo Lara with the Mexican national team. Finally, it looks like a solution has been found.

Journalist César Luis Merlo reports that Rui Patricio is set to become the new goalkeeper of Pumas. Once the financial side of the deal has been agreed the Portuguese keeper is expected to join up with the Liga MX team.

Patricio is currently a free agent but he has a long career at the top level of the game. He played for Al Ain, Atalanta, AS Roma, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sporting Lisbon. He won the European Championship with his national team and has earned more than 100 caps with Portugal.

The start of the season has been a difficult one for Pumas, who have had to deal with the departure of Alex Padilla and the injury of Pablo Lara. To begin the year head coach Efraín Juárez had to turn to the youth academy to find goalkeepers. Pumas lost their opening game of the 2025 Apertura with 17-year-old Rodrigo Parra in goal and were beaten 3-0 by Santos Laguna.

Before Patricio, one of the names mentioned as a possible short-term solution was Keylor Navas. The Costa Rican goalkeeper is one of the most successful of his generation but he and the team were unable to come to an agreement on the financial package.

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