Mexican league’s Pachuca signs Colombian midfielder Cardona

Colombian midfielder Edwin Cardona is returning to the Liga MX, signing a contract with Pachuca for the 2019 Clausura tournament, the Mexican club’s management said.

The 26-year-old midfielder, who was playing for Argentina’s Boca Juniors, has agreed to join the club for next season, Pachuca said in social media posts on Monday.

Spanish manager Paco Ayestaran’s club has now added three new players to the roster.

Pachuca previously signed Chilean striker Victor Davila, who played for Necaxa, and Argentine forward Ismael Sosa, of the Tigres UANL.

Cardona, who made his Liga MX debut with the Monterrey Rayados in the 2015 Clausura tournament, had an uneven performance and left the club last year.

The midfielder scored 41 goals in his appearances with Monterrey, where he played the best stretch of his professional career, which started with Colombia’s Atletico Nacional in 2009.

Over the past 18 months, Cardona was on loan to Boca Juniors, scoring 11 goals for the Argentine club in two seasons.

Cardona was on the Boca Juniors squad that won the 2017-2018 Superliga Argentina championship.

Ayestaran’s Pachuca squad finished the 2018 Apertura tournament in 10th place, failing to qualify for the playoffs, which featured the top eight teams.

Pachuca has won six Liga MX titles, with the last championship coming in the 2016 Clausura tournament under Uruguayan coach Diego Alonso, whose squad beat Monterrey in the final.

Pachuca begins its 2019 Clausura tournament campaign on Jan. 5 on the road against Monterrey.