MEXICO - After several days of arduous negotiations, Sebastián Jurado will be a new player for Cruz Azul, after the club and the 22-year-old goalkeeper reached an agreement for the signing of one of the most sought-after free agents in this winter market.
The signing will be made official once Jurado passes the corresponding physical and medical tests this Wednesday in Mexico City.
Following the disaffiliation of Club Veracruz, Jurado became one of the footballers with the highest profile, as clubs like Tigres, Rayados, Morelia, and Cruz Azul showed formal interest in signing one of the most promising goalkeepers in Mexican football.
Sources also assured ESPN and ESPN Digital that the two main issues that Cruz Azul had to unlock in order to finally reach an agreement with Sebastián Jurado were TV Azteca's (Morelia) debt, due to businessman Fidel Kuri, for receiving advanced television rights payments from the now defunct Tiburones Rojos, and also the economic part with the goalkeeper, since being free and the owner of his international transfer, he negotiated a high salary and signing bonus with La Máquina Celeste.
Jurado joins Cruz Azul as a reinforcement, which also has the signing of Uruguayan midfielder Pablo Cepellini, whose signing will be made official this week once he passes the medical tests on Thursday.
After a decade as Cruz Azul's starting goalkeeper, Jesús Corona has 6 months left on his contract and has not reached an agreement to renew his contract, which means that from January 1st he can negotiate with any club and leave as a free player starting in June.
Sources told ESPN that Corona and the cement company had practically reached an agreement to renew the contract at the end of November, but suddenly the talks stopped and the veteran goalkeeper no longer had communication to sign a new contract with the institution.