After the signing of Irven Ávila, Monarcas Morelia could dispense with the services of Raúl Ruidíaz. The 27-year-old forward, who joined the Mexican team in 2016 from Universitario de Deportes, would leave the club after two seasons and continue his career at Seattle Sounders in the Major League Soccer.
'La Pulga's' representative, David Pezúa, confirmed to the American media 'Sounder at Heart' that negotiations with the North American institution are very advanced. Likewise, this same media reported that Ruidíaz has already reached good terms with Monarcas Morelia to leave and it would only be a matter of time before his signing by the Washington team is made official.
Chris Henderson, the Seattle Sounders' sporting director, has been following the Peruvian forward for a year and has even attended several matches of 'La Monarquía' to observe his performances more closely. It is expected that they will pay a sum between 4 and 5 million euros to acquire his services, with the idea of sealing his signing before the start of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He would also become the highest paid player on the team.
On the other hand, Álvaro Dávila, the boss of the Mexican team, practically confirmed his departure from the club. "There is great progress in the MLS. They are the ones who were interested and a concrete offer arrived, the rest are just speculations. We are waiting for Raúl's consent and for the deal to be settled. Everyone is asking, but concerning what the market is, it is not an offer that will match," he said in statements collected by ESPN.
If officially announced as a signing for the Seattle team, Ruidíaz would become the sixth Peruvian to play in the MLS, along with Yordy Reyna, Alexi Gómez, Alexander Callens, Yoshimar Yotún, and Andy Polo. Furthermore, at the Sounders he would share the locker room with the United States national team's Clint Dempsey, the Panamanian Román Torres - who will play in the next World Cup - and former Boca Juniors player Nicolás Lodeiro.
