Tijuana Xolos Sign Julio Angulo and Rubio Rubin On Transfer Deadline Day
Credit: Xolos
The deadline day for Liga MX teams to sign players from clubs outside of Mexico was this past Jan.31 and the Xolos had a busy day, adding two more players to the roster.
The border city dogs added Ecuadorian winger Julio Angulo and American forward Rubio Rubin.
Julio Angulo is coming over from Argentine team Huracan on a six-month loan with an option to buy at the end of it.
The 27-year-old started his professional career in his native Ecuador with Barcelona de Guayaquil, where he played until 2011. From there, Angulo stayed in Ecuador and played with Deportivo Cuenca from 2011-2013. Some of the best years of his career came with Independiente del Valle from 2013-2016 before making his move to Huracan.
The Ecuadorian winger did struggle in Argentina as he failed to score in 27 league appearances and will now look to turn things around in Mexico. Angulo is an exciting and skillful player that has a lot of speed and is able with both feet. There have been several similar players like him in the Liga MX before and it is unclear if he will earn a starting role or even feature regularly on the bench.
Rubio Rubin is quite a different player as he slots in as a striker and is less skillful and quick on the ball. But he is much younger at just 21 years old and has played his entire professional career in Europe. The Oregon native has played most of his professional career in the Netherlands with FC Utrecht from 2014-2017, but also had brief stints with other clubs in 2017.
Last year, the young American also played with Danish side Silkeborg IF and with Norwegian club Stabæk. Rubin has also played with the United States national team, and at one point in his career was considered the next up and coming American player. Since then, he has fallen out of the spotlight a bit and will now be looking to get back on the national team radar. Rubin is of Mexican and Guatemalan descent and should adapt well to the environment at Club Tijuana with players like Alejandro Guido and Michael Orozco on the team and San Diego right across the border.
Both signings do not seem to have been extremely necessary as there are already a few talented attacking players on Tijuana’s roster. But both do add even more depth to a Xolos’ team that seems to be ready for any injuries or absences. Diego Cocca could have added another midfielder to the team as there is no real backup defensive midfielder on the team to supplement Damian Musto. But the team does seem ready to stay competitive in the Liga MX and CONCACAF Champions League with a busy February and March schedule ahead.
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.