After failing to secure a spot in Pumas’ first-team plans, midfielder Leonardo Suárez is heading back to Argentina to continue his professional career with Estudiantes de La Plata.
The move marks a homecoming for the South American playmaker, who returns to his native country after more than a decade abroad, hoping to rediscover his best form.
Keylor a catalyst for Suárez exit
Pumas’ decision to use their final foreign player slot on Costa Rican goalkeeper Keylor Navas left Suárez on the outside looking in. Initially registered with the club’s U-21 squad, the arrangement was only temporary, as the front office worked out a loan deal with an option to buy for the Argentine to join Estudiantes.
“His cycle here is over”
Suárez, who previously played for clubs such as Santos Laguna and Boca Juniors, was no longer part of Pumas’ plans under new head coach Efraín Juárez. The Mexican manager made it clear that Suárez’s time with the club had run its course.
“I believe his cycle here is over - that’s how I see it,” Juárez said in an interview with Análisis Puma. “He came back from a serious injury and started to regain form with us, but based on what I want from a soccer team, he doesn’t fit the profile I need in that position - neither defensively nor offensively.”
Suárez’s departure is part of a broader restructuring at Pumas for the Apertura 2025 tournament, as the club looks to revamp both its playing style and locker room dynamics.