Tijuana Xolos announce 10 signings, Pablo Guede as new manager
The Tijuana Xolos have really been active in the current transfer window with 10 new signings so far. Nine of the 10 players came over from Club Queretaro as Grupo Caliente sold the franchise to new ownership, but kept some players in the deal.
Gerson Vazquez, Benny Diaz, Areli Hernandez, Jorge Aguilar, Jaime Gomez, Jordi Cortizo, Paolo Yrizar, Clifford Aboagye and Marcel Ruiz all made the move to the border city club from Queretaro in this deal. This was essentially Queretaro’s core as the Tijuana Xolos greatly benefited from Grupo Caliente’s deal.
Gerson Vazquez and Benny Diaz were part of Queretaro’s youth setup in the past few years, but the rest were first-team players. Areli Hernandez is a 25-year-old left-back that was starting for Los Gallos Blancos this season as that position will be contested with players like Luis Fuentes and Vladimir Lorona on Club Tijuana.
Jorge Aguilar is a 27-year-old Paraguayan centre-back and will be a direct replacement for Leandro Gonzalez-Pirez, who will be leaving for Inter Miami. Jaime Gomez is a 26-year-old player that plays primarily as a right-back, but can also play in the midfield as well. Paolo Yrizar is a 22-year-old forward that has been called up by the Mexico national team and he is a promising prospect.
Jordi Cortizo, Clifford Abogye and Marcel Ruiz are all central midfielders that offer offensive characteristics. Cortizo (23) has been primarily a bench player throughout his career, but does have great passing ability. Aboagye and Ruiz were both starters for Queretaro and will likely be starters for Club Tijuana as well.
Aboagye (25) comes in at 5-foot-4 as he is a crafty player that likes to generate offense going forward. However, he can also defend when it is needed and go up and down the pitch. Marcel Ruiz (19) is the most attack-minded player of the three and also has the most potential out of all the signings in this deal.
Ruiz has already been called up by the Mexico national team at the youth level and it will be no time before he gets a callup by the senior squad. Ruiz is elegant on the touch as he offers plenty of creativity going forward, but also has the fight to endure hard-fought games for 90 minutes.
Along with these signings from Queretaro, the Xoloitzcuintles officially announced the addition of Jose Angulo, a 25-year-old Ecuadorian forward. Angulo has not played professionally since 2016 as he received a four-year ban for testing positive for cocaine in a doping exam.
“Tin” was a very promising player back in 2016 as he had just made the move to Spanish La Liga side Granada over from Ecuador. Angulo will be hungry to step back onto the pitch and also has been going to a rehab center as he has been training for Club Tijuana for over six months now.
The players that the Xolos brought in are certainly exciting and Pablo Guede will be the man in charge of them as he was officially announced as Club Tijuana’s new manager. Guede last managed Monarcas Morelia in the Liga MX, where he found success with a limited squad.
The Argentine manager led the now extinct team from Michoacan to a playoff berth in the 2019 Apertura season as Monarcas were eliminated in the semifinals by Club America. Guede was also doing a fine job in the 2020 Clausura before it was canceled as Morelia was in ninth place with seven games left in the regular season.
The 45-year-old is very attack-minded with his tactics and presents a very attractive style of play that has potential with this Club Tijuana squad. The Xolos were quiet before these moves and have become the talk of the league as they do have massive potential in the upcoming 2020 Apertura tournament.
The new coach is in town 🏟❌
Welcome to TJ, Pablo Guede! pic.twitter.com/MMbLadNslg
— Xolos (@xolos_en) June 19, 2020
The transfer window is still active and it looks like the Xolos will remain active as a possible goalkeeper swap that will send Gibran Lajud to Santos Laguna and bring Jonathan Orozco to Club Tijuana appears to be finalized.
Francisco, 26, Chula Vista/Tijuana. I have been a Padres fan all my life, did most of the series previews and recaps in the Padres’ 2016 season for EVT. Now I focus more on the local soccer scene. Tijuana Xolos, San Diego Loyal, San Diego Wave.