A SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP club have revealed a brand new strategic partnership with a side from MEXICO.
And it’s a club with a major link with one of their top stars.
Dundee’s Antonio Portales is an ex-Monterrey pleyer[/caption]
Monterrey’s 53,500-seater home[/caption]
Dundee chief John Nelms[/caption]
Dundee have confirmed they’ve linked-up with CF Monterrey, one of the top clubs in the Mexican game.
The Dark Blues have unveiled the partnership that they say will see the clubs work together on player development and best sports practices.
Dundee also say the agreement could present a ‘pathway to European football’ for Monterrery’s top young talent.
It was just last summer when Dundee dipped into the Mexican market to land two first team players.
While it didn’t really work out for Diego Pineda, defender Antonio Portales has become a favourite at Dens’ Park.
His form has seen him tipped for a call-up to the Mexico national team.
Portales, 28, joined Dundee from Atlante but had previously spent a significant chunk of his career with Monterrey.
The centre-back was a product of the club’s youth system and broke into the first team during the 2014/15 campaign.
Monterrey youth director Nicolas Martellotto highlighted Portales as he explained how the partnership could benefit both clubs.
He said: “We are very excited about this agreement with Dundee FC, as it represents a great opportunity for players from our youth academy to migrate to Europe and continue their development outside of Mexico.
“Portales was a player who lived his process in the club’s youth academy since he was 13 years old.
“We are looking for more players to follow in his footsteps and continue their career with Dundee FC, in such a competitive ecosystem as the Scottish Premiership.”
Monterrey are a club with a rich history in Mexican football.
Formed in 1945, they play in front of more than 53,000 fans at the plush Estadio BBVA.
They’re currently managed by former Argentina and Manchester City star Martin Demichelis.
They’ve won five Mexican league titles, most recently winning the Apertura in 2019.
Monterrey have also won the CONCACAF Champions Cup – North America’s equivalent of the Champions League – on five occasions.
It’s another major partnership for Dundee, who entered into a similar agreement with English side Burnley last year.
Dundee chairman Tim Keyes said: “We are extremely excited for the partnership between Dundee FC and CF Monterrey.
“Monterrey is one of the premier teams in Liga MX with an abundance of talented players and a first-class management team.
“Despite being on different continents, the culture and approach to developing young talent is very similar between the two clubs. We look forward to this agreement providing great benefits to both clubs over the coming years.”
Managing Director John Nelms added: “Last month myself and Tim went out to Mexico to finalise the deal and we saw for ourselves how big a club Rayados are in Mexico.
“They have a fantastic youth set-up with over 15,000 individuals in their youth academies, spanning across multiple countries, from age four all the way up to the first team. Both clubs will benefit from this relationship as we share skills and knowledge whilst developing young, talented footballers who can make it into the first team and play at the highest possible level.”
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