Real Salt Lake is reportedly looking to sign Tigres midfielder and El Tri hopeful, Jesús Dueñas. Dueñas has been a regular for Tigres in Liga MX.
As the offseason rolls on, Real Salt Lake are looking to make at least one more splash before the 2018 season, this time with Mexican midfielder Jesús Dueñas. Dueñas would be an impressive signing for the Salt Lake side, as the 28-year-old offers experience and versatility in the midfield.
RSL has already landed a few impressive signings heading into next season and landing a fringe player for the Mexican National Team just before the World Cup would be no small undertaking. The interest in Dueñas also comes after the news that RSL is confident they will re-sign captain and midfield veteran Kyle Beckerman, who experienced a resurgence during the second half of last season under new head coach Mike Petke.
It is currently unclear whether the interest in the Tigres regular is for a Beckerman replacement or to play alongside the MLS vet in more of a box-to-box role. The club has also been linked with Chilean midfielder Cristóbal Jorquera for some time now, who currently plays in Turkey. There is reason to believe that RSL plans to land a combination of two out of the three midfielders to connect their prolific attack with their stalwart defense heading into next season.
This also wouldn’t be the first time RSL and Tigres have done business together. Forward Luis Silva signed with Tigres after a short stint with RSL following a midseason trade in 2015, only to be given back to RSL on a free transfer last season, despite Silva being under contract. Then last season, an injury-plagued Tigres turned to RSL for goalkeeping depth, paying a reportedly six-figure fee for RSL academy graduate Lalo Fernández to finish out the Liga MX season as their backup keeper. It also is worth noting that RSL impressed against the Liga MX powerhouse in the knockout round of the 2016 CONCACAF Champions League.
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While the continuity between the two clubs is likely helpful in completing deals, but with Dueñas having been a regular starter for the Mexican club since 2013 it is hard to see this one coming to pass, but obviously stranger things have happened.