San Jose Earthquakes: Alan Pulido is what MLS needs
The San Jose Earthquakes are reportedly chasing Liga MX top scorer, Alan Pulido. This is the type of deal that MLS as a whole needs to thrive.
The San Jose Earthquakes have an identity. Unlike many teams in Major League Soccer that are pushing in different directions, splitting themselves from the inside-out, under Matias Almeyda, the Earthquakes have a defined style and approach. And it is out of that every single decision is made.
Such was the impression that Almeyda made in his first season in San Jose, the club have united around his singular focus, both the tactical elements that he has instilled on the pitch and his infectious personality off it. And so, now that they have their manager in place, they are going all-in on his vision.
Whereas last offseason, the San Jose Earthquakes made minimal moves to bolster the squad ahead of Almeyda’s first season in charge, this time, they are swinging for the fences.
Per TUDN and now confirmed by Joel Soria, the San Jose Earthquakes have entered into talks with Chivas de Guadalajara regarding the potential transfer of star striker, Alan Pulido. Pulido, 28, is a Mexican international and has been one of the premier players in Liga MX in recent seasons. He scored 12 goals in 18 games in the Apertura (the first half of the Liga MX season) and was named joint top-scorer.
Almeyda was the head coach at Chivas from 2015 to 2018 and worked with Pulido throughout that time. If there is anyone who understands the striker’s capabilities, it is Almeyda. And if while any move from Liga MX to MLS seems like a sideways one at best, Almeyda might well be the convincing individual in this case.
For the San Jose Earthquakes, this move is a no-brainer. Relying on Chris Wondolowski to lead the line is not ideal, however prolific he may have been in 2018, and Pulido could feasibly enter MLS as one of the premier centre-forwards in the entire league.
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But looking beyond the Earthquakes, this type of transfer is what MLS as a whole needs. While signing youth South Americans by offering them an opportunity of a European move is a good way to bring young talent into the league, and bringing in big-name, European stars puts bums on seats and helps sell shirts, the best way to inject calibre into the league is to sign high-quality players in their prime.
MLS has embraced becoming a selling league in recent years, even after Commissioner Don Garber always resisted the moniker, and it has seen higher quality players arrive in the league that would never have usually come. But these players are only the league for a short period and they rarely offer their best years to MLS.
If the league genuinely wants to grow, beginning to challenge Liga MX and others around the world as a viable, high-quality competition, it needs to attract high-end players when they are in their best years.
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The San Jose Earthquakes are doing just that with Pulido. Hopefully, it will encourage more to do the same.