Paul Arriola Leaves Struggling Xolos, Joins Struggling MLS Side D.C. United
It is safe to say that the Tijuana Xolos have not had an ideal start to this Apertura 2017 campaign under new manager Eduardo Coudet.
The border city side has three consecutive losses in the Liga MX to start the new season and has yet to score in league play. There have only been two goals scored in the era of Eduardo Coudet, both in the Copa MX. One of the goal scorers was Juan Martin Lucero and the other was Paul Arriola.
In a busy day in Mexican soccer, there was speculation that MLS team D.C. United was in for Club Tijuana’s Paul Arriola.
Around midday, manager Eduardo Coudet confirmed the departure of Arriola to D.C. United. The transfer fee was also confirmed and is said to be 3.5 million dollars for the American international. The Chula Vista native had said that there was interest from Holland for him earlier in the season, but never mentioned the team or a move to another league like the MLS.
Arriola had just started to launch his career at Club Tijuana in the Clausura 2017 under Miguel Herrera and was due for another fruitful season in Tijuana.
The 22-year-old has spent his entire professional career in Tijuana since 2013, and the move is an odd career choice for him. Arriola will be leaving the highly competitive Liga MX for a much more leisurely league, the MLS. The move is strange because of his young age and because he was just starting to be a prominent figure with Xolos and with the United States national team. A move to Holland would have been much better suited for the American to test his capabilities in a league with a much higher level of soccer.
Arriola will be leaving Club Tijuana, who is struggling at the bottom of the Liga MX table, but will not go to a much better place. D.C. United is currently the worst team in the MLS, bottom of the Eastern Conference with a league-low 19 points.
Arriola should help the D.C. United offense massively, but could have also vastly helped Eduardo Coudet and the Tijuana Xolos with his style of play.
The Xolos are struggling to have any rhythm going forward and this move will only weaken the team even more than it already is.
Paul Arriola had become one of the faces of the franchise at Club Tijuana, especially with the American audience, and he will be missed by both the fans and his teammates.
Francisco, 26, Chula Vista/Tijuana. I have been a Padres fan all my life, did most of the series previews and recaps in the Padres’ 2016 season for EVT. Now I focus more on the local soccer scene. Tijuana Xolos, San Diego Loyal, San Diego Wave.