Omar Merlo has ceased to be a player for Sporting Cristal after five seasons with the team.

The changes in the sky blue team continue. A new announcement from Sporting Cristal regarding the modifications within its squad. The Rimense team confirmed the departure of Omar Merlo after five seasons.

The footballer who defended the colors of the sky blue team and won two Peruvian championships in 2018 and 2020, says goodbye and leaves an open foreign quota in the team that reached the semi-finals in the Liga 1 2022.

"Thank you, 'Omi'! For your professionalism, your dedication, and for always giving everything for the sky blue. They were beautiful years. Thank you a thousand times, Champion," said the Rimac team in their farewell message.

The Argentine-Chilean central defender was an important piece for the different coaches of Sporting Cristal, however, the sky blue team is taking striking measures in search of new air for the 2023 season.

Merlo played a total of 35 matches with the team led by Roberto Mosquera in the 2022 season, accumulating a total of 3059 minutes.

More than one departure in Sporting Cristal

In addition to Merlo, Christopher Olivares ended his contract with Sporting Cristal, after playing 22 matches in the 2022 season between Copa Libertadores and Liga 1. In this way, the sky blue team began to make different changes with an eye on the 2023 campaign, after reaching the semifinals and losing to Melgar.

The 23-year-old footballer says goodbye to the sky blue team, a team he has been a part of since 2017 and where he failed to consolidate himself, despite the number of opportunities in the first team. Olivares had ups and downs and even had a spell at Guimaraes in Portugal in 2019.

During his time with the Rimense team, Christopher Olivares played a total of 106 matches, scoring 19 goals and providing 10 assists. In the last season, the forward had a lesser participation and scored only one goal in his outings in the Apertura, Clausura, and Copa Libertadores.