Pumas in a race against time to replace Dani Alves
The transfer market closes on 1 February and the unexpected departure of the Brazilian player will possibly force the club to scour the transfer market.
Pumas UNAM have terminated Dani Alves’ contract after the former Barcelona defender was arrested on sexual assault charges.
Alves was arrested in Barcelona on Friday after it was alleged he sexually assaulted a woman in a nightclub bathroom.
The 39-year-old, who became the oldest player to feature in a World Cup match for Brazil when he played against Cameroon in Qatar last month, has denied assaulting the woman.
According to widespread reports, Alves – who has also played for Paris Saint-Germain and Sevilla – gave a statement to the Mossos d’Esquadra police force before the public prosecutor’s office requested that he should be detained and not granted bail.
Subsequently, Pumas confirmed on Friday, via a short statement on their website and a media briefing from club president Leopoldo Silva, that they had terminated Alves’ contract and now face the predicament of trying to replace the player with the market set to close in Liga MX on 1 February.
Pablo Bennevendo would be the natural substitute on the right side, but the youth squad player has left elements of doubts in the minutes he has had. Jesús Rivas is another youth player from Universidad Nacional who could make the step up to the first team.
The other option for the club would be to play with José Luis Caicedo or new arrival Jonathan Sánchez on the right flank but if head coach Rafael Puente del Río decides he wants to bring in a new player to cover Alves, then the board will need to act quickly.
The transfer market in Liga MX closes registrations on 1 February 1, so the club will need to scour the market in haste.
For the next match against León on matchday 3 of the Clausura 2023 Tournament, Bennevendo is expected to be the starter with Jesus Rivas set to start on the bench.