Olivier Renard seems very close to making his first transfer as sporting director of RSC Anderlecht. But who is César Huerta, who should arrive from Pumas UNAM in Mexico?
Very close to joining… Liverpool
And Cesar Huerta (24 years old) is indeed arriving at Lotto Park (at present, Mexican sources and notably ESPN claim that his choice has not yet been made), it will be a big move on the part of Renard, and we can deduce it just from the suitors of the Mexican winger. Indeed, last summer, Huerta was very close to joining Liverpool.
“My suitcase was ready, but there was a problem. I know it’s a train that may only pass once, but if I continue, other opportunities will present themselves,” Huerta put into perspective last September, during a gathering of the Mexican national team. The “problem” which prevented the signing of the Pumas player in Liverpool: due to a lack of space for one more non-EU player, the Reds should have lent Huerta as soon as he arrived, which derailed the deal.
A twirling winger with very interesting statistics
The arrival of César Huerta may come as a bit of a surprise, because Anderlecht does not necessarily “need” reinforcement on the left wing currently. Francis Amuzu is still there, Samuel Edozie is progressing well and Thorgan Hazard is back this evening – although he will need time before he is 100%. But Olivier Renard anticipates, of course.
Indeed, Amuzu is mentioned on departure during each transfer window – and is often injured – while Edozie is loaned without an option to buy. By bringing the twirling Huerta this winter, he is giving him time to acclimatize to the championship. The Mexican has impressive figures: 20 goals and 15 assists in 87 matches with the Pumas, and already three goals with the Mexican selection.
A big goal: the 2026 World Cup
César Huerta certainly weighs the pros and cons very carefully when choosing which club to launch his European career. Indeed, the Mexican has a big goal in mind, which a bad choice could derail: the 2026 World Cup, which will partly take place at home.
His performances with the Pumas UNAM almost make us forget that the start of Huerta’s career was quite chaotic, with a series of often unsuccessful loans. With his training club, Chivas de Guadalajara, he played 39 matches for just one goal and just one assist: starving numbers.
Everything accelerated in 2022, when he arrived free at the Pumas: his market value was then only one million euros. Things went very quickly in one direction: they can go very quickly in the other, because playing in Europe is not synonymous with selection in Mexico, where “local” players are very appreciated. Until now, César Huerta is a regular starter with The Tribut perhaps lacks a reference match, his only goals having been scored in a friendly.
Lisandro Magallan can talk to him about Anderlecht
In his career, for the moment entirely played in Mexico, César Huerta has already known a former member of the RSCA – and even knew him well. He actually played 50 matches alongside Lisandro Magallan since 2023. The Argentine defender signed for the Pumas in July 2023, after a brief spell at Elche.
Magallan’s time at Anderlecht did not necessarily make an impression, but the player on loan from Ajax Amsterdam did not leave any bad memories at Neerpede and Lotto Park either. In 30 matches, he is far from having made as many errors as, for example, Zanka since his arrival. Insufficient for Sporting to put their hand in their pocket, but certainly enough for Magallan to be able to recommend César Huerta to opt for Brussels when making his choice…
“El Chino”, a typically Mexican nickname
Like Mathias “Zanka” Jorgensen, César Huerta has a nickname: “Chino”, or “El Chino”. Not to the point of putting this name on his jersey, but the Pumas player is quite often called “Chino” Huerta. A funny nickname because “Chino” means Chinese, and César Huerta doesn’t really have Asian features. This nickname actually comes from… the player’s curly hair, and a term inherited from the colonial period during which, in Mexico, society was divided into several castes.
CHRISTMAS CHINESE
César ‘Chino’ Huerta showed on social media the outfit he wore for Christmas
Despite his possible departure from pumas, ‘Chino’ has the Pumas colors tattooed #GiveYouMoreEmotions #Pumas pic.twitter.com/v0vNt2U44H
— La Octava Sports (@laoctavasports) https://twitter.com/laoctavasports/status/1872343041346011337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
There were the “Spaniards”, the colonists, the “Indians” (natives of Central America) and the “Blacks”, slaves from Africa. The “mulattoes” were the children of “Spaniards” and “Blacks”; following them, if these mulattoes had children with “Indians”, they were called “Chinos” (Chinese), for an unclear reason. Often, these “Chinos” had frizzy and curly hair, which led, today, to the term “Chino” to designate people with hair of this type!
