SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes announced today that the club has acquired Mexican center back Oswaldo Alanís on a one-year loan with the possibility to extend from Mexico’s Chivas de Guadalajara using Targeted Allocation Money. Alanís will occupy an international spot on the Quakes’ roster, pending receipt of his P1 Visa and ITC.
Alanís is just the third player with Mexico National Team experience to sign with the Earthquakes and first since Francisco Uribe in 1998. With 23 prior appearances for Mexico, he becomes the fourth most capped Mexican player currently in Major League Soccer behind Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez (109), Carlos Vela (72) and Jonathan Dos Santos (46).
“Oswaldo is a player that can add a lot from the human element as well as in football,” said Earthquakes head coach Matias Almeyda. “I had the chance to coach him for two and half years and his position is where we have the fewest players. My hope is that he shows the same level he showed when I coached him previously.”
Alanís, 30, comes to San Jose from his second stint with Chivas, re-joining the club last July. He made 10 appearances, all starts, and scored two goals during the recent Liga MX Apertura season.
“We are thrilled that Oswaldo will be joining us,” said Earthquakes general manager Jesse Fioranelli. “He’s a gentleman as a person and a winner as a player. Over the past 18 months, we’ve been patiently awaiting the right window of opportunity to work with him and when it presented itself, all of us felt the time to get it done is now. We’re fortunate to be able to reinforce our team with a left-footed center back that possesses his game intelligence, defensive qualities and wealth of experience playing at the highest levels for both Chivas and the Mexico National Team.”
Alanís began his career at the Estudiantes Tecos youth academy in Mexico before climbing his way to the first team. After making 69 appearances for Los Tecos, he was transferred to Santos Laguna in July of 2012, where he briefly played under current Quakes assistant coach Benjamin Galindo.
Alanís competed for Santos Laguna for three years, tallying two goals and two assists in 77 appearances, while leading the club to two major trophies: Copa MX Apertura 2014 and Liga MX Clausura 2015. Santos also reached the final of the 2012-13 Concacaf Champions League.
In July of 2015, Alanís joined Chivas by way of a $5 million transfer just a few months prior to the arrival of current Earthquakes head coach Matias Almeyda. Under Almeyda, Alanís led Chivas to Liga MX (Clausura 2017), Copa MX (Apertura 2015; Clausura 2017), Supercopa MX (2016) and Concacaf Champions League (2018) titles. Alanís was named to the 2018 Concacaf Champions League Best XI and was the only defender to score multiple goals during the tournament. He ultimately made 67 appearances and tallied seven goals and four assists in his first stint with Chivas.
The Morelia, Mexico native made the first move abroad of his career in July of 2018, signing with Spain’s Getafe and later with Spain’s Real Oviedo. He scored one goal in 24 appearances over the next year before opting to return to Chivas.
Internationally, Alanís has scored two goals in 23 appearances for the Mexico National Team, most recently appearing in a friendly against the United States in September of 2018. He helped Mexico win the 2015 Concacaf Gold Cup, appearing in all three knockout round matches, and was also on the team during Copa America in 2011. Alanís was among 28 players named to Mexico’s preliminary roster for the 2018 FIFA World Cup but did not make the final 23-man roster. He also previously represented Mexico at the 2009 Concacaf U-20 Championship.
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Transaction: San Jose Earthquakes (MLS) – Earthquakes acquire Mexican defender Oswaldo Alanís on a one-year loan with the possibility to extend using Targeted Allocation Money.
Oswaldo Alanís
Pronunciation: oz-VALL-doh AH-lah-neece
Position: Defender
Height: 6-1
Weight: 180 lbs.
Born: March 18, 1989 in Morelia, Mexico
Preferred Foot: Left
Hometown: Morelia, Mexico
Last Club: Chivas (Mexico)
College: N/A
Roster Designation: International
