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We initially reported that Alan Pulido of Chivas Guadalajara had been linked to a move to Major League Soccer — and specifically Sporting Kansas City — about two weeks ago. Instead of dying down like most rumored Designated Player striker signings do when they are linked to KC, this one is picking up steam.
¡SE VA DE CHIVAS!
— La Octava Sports (@laoctavasports) December 10, 2019
Alan Pulido firmará contrato con el Sporting Kansas City de la MLS
Se despide el campeón de goleo de la Liga Mx
Vía @mluiscastillo #VolverAEmocionar pic.twitter.com/dCnizWrTrd
According to Google Translate:
HE’S GOING FROM CHIVAS! Alan Pulido will sign contract with Sporting Kansas City of MLS. The champion of goals of the Liga Mx Vía says goodbye @mluiscastillo #VolverAEmocionar
FOX Sports MX has a video (that is now geolocked in the United States) saying that Sporting KC have put a $9.5 million offer in for Pulido. It sounds like Chivas is asking for $10 million. The San Jose Earthquakes, Orlando City SC and Chicago Fire were all reportedly in the running for Pulido. The rumor is the price is too high for San Jose, Orlando is nowhere to be seen and only Chicago is left to ruin this.
There are a whole lot of other reasons this move could fall apart. The player maybe not want to come to KC (remember Omar Bravo was from Chivas and he and Peter Vermes weren’t actually best friends). Of course, Chicago has a new, super rich owner who could outbid KC. And of course, Sporting have never spent this much money on a player. Ever. It could all be conjecture or nonsense from an agent too.
If this move were to go through at anywhere near the numbers being discussed, it would crush the previous record Sporting paid. In PV’s lifetime, the club has only paid $4 million in transfer fees total. Not for one player but for all the players (Vermes loves his free transfers).
For more on Pulido, read our initial rumor story. It includes information about his Golden Boot winning 2019 Liga MX Apertura season and a little history on his prior clubs. What it doesn’t cover, but we’ll have to dive into if the signing happens, is the time Pulido was kidnapped in Mexico in 2016.
The Blue Testament will go wall-to-wall with our coverage as the Pulido rumor continues to unfold. We’ll leave you with this quote from Pulido on a move to the US.
“The most likely [next move] is to go to MLS, there are some important teams that are interested in me, but we’ll take it step by step.”
Sporting KC are awfully important.