Monterrey bids farewell to goalkeeper Carrizo, signs forward Zaldivar

Liga MX club Monterrey said Wednesday that Argentine goalkeeper Juan Pablo Carrizo was no longer with the team, which recently signed Mexican forward Angel Zaldivar.

“We wish goalkeeper Juan Pablo Carrizo success in his future pursuits; the goalkeeper will undergo a physical in the next few days with Paraguay’s Club Cerro Porteño to finalize his signing,” the Rayados said in a Twitter post.

Although Carrizo’s departure had been expected for days, the club made the move official on Wednesday as it continues to fine-tune the roster ahead of the start of the 2019 Clausura tournament.

The 34-year-old Carrizo played three seasons for Monterrey and was on the squad that won the 2017 Copa MX.

The Argentine goalkeeper, however, struggled to grab a spot in the starting lineup, leading the club to part ways with him.

Zaldivar, for his part, arrived in Monterrey after Christmas and appeared highly motivated on his first day with the team in the northern Mexican industrial city.

“I came here to do things right, to make the fans happy and I’m committed to leaving it all out on the field,” the 24-year-old Zaldivar said.

Zaldivar joins a squad that already boasts top-notch players like Argentine striker Rogelio Funes Mori and Colombians Aviles Hurtado and Dorlan Pabon.

Argentine forward Maximiliano Meza, a member of his country’s 2018 World Cup team, is expected to report to Monterrey’s training camp in the next few hours, joining Uruguayan manager Diego Alonso’s squad.

Monterrey, according to media reports, is also close to signing Paraguayan striker Adam Bareiro.

Monterrey finished in 5th place in the Apertura tournament, eliminated defending champion Santos Laguna in the quarterfinals and was eliminated by Cruz Azul in the semifinals.

Even though the clubs were tied 1-1 on aggregate and 0-0 in away goals, Cruz Azul advanced to the final with the victory because of its seeding.

Under Liga MX rules for the semifinals, Cruz Azul, the No. 1 seed, advanced because it was seeded higher than Monterrey, the No. 5 seed.