Matias Alustiza announces departure from Pumas

Pumas started their planning for the next campaign with the announcement that Matias Alustiza is finishing his loan with Pumas and going back to Atlas. The own player made the announcement in social media, saying that the club had decided for him to not continue with the club so that coach David Patiño could give an opportunity to youngster Brian Figueroa. Club director Leandro Augusto later went on a press conference confirming the news about Alustiza and saying that Pumas wasn’t going to be making any signings in this break and that Alustiza’s spot would be covered by Juan Manuel Iturbe and Figueroa.

The Alustiza news made ripples in the Pumas community. It was surprising for Alustiza to leave and more so to comment on why he’s doing so. The news are also not a good omen to many. Earlier in the season it looked as if Marcelo Diaz was allowed to leave because his spot was going to be given to Kevin Escamilla. Diaz left but Escamilla lost out his spot to another youngster, Andres Iniestra. Iniestra had a good season but he suffered major pains in the 6-1 trashing against America.

Figueroa has shown some good things and it might be good that Pumas move forward with the youngster, especially considering that one of the best teams in Mexico at producing young players has become a total non factor in said category in recent years.

Still, Alustiza was a good veteran and the more worrisome news is the idea that Pumas doesn’t plan on making any new signings. It seems the America trashing didn’t do much at pointing at the fact that this team just isn’t good enough.

And while Pumas do what they can to close their wallet, former striker Nico Castillo is rumored to be of major interest of Mexico City rivals Cruz Azul and Club América. Castillo left Pumas during the summer transfer window but has quickly fallen out of favor at Benfica, opening him to a return to Mexico. Now, Pumas’s Semifinal embarrassment will most probably be for nothing, and their most decorated player in recent season might be headed to a rival team.