Ozziel Herrera File Confirmed, Club América Chief on Rayados Hiring of Tano Ortiz

Monterrey has yet to make their addition this summer transfer window. However, Rayados does have its targets, and manager Fernando ‘Tano’ Ortiz confirmed one file the team has. 

In an interview with TUDN, Ortiz revealed that Monterrey is interested in signing Atlas’ Ozziel Herrera to help improve the team heading into the 2023 Apertura season. 

“The Ozziel thing is handled by the board; I’m not going to interfere in the sense that they have the possibility of the list that one has given them,” Ortiz told TUDN on Wednesday.

Furthermore, Ortiz noted that Rayados is currently looking for that No. 10 player. The player would fill the role of Diego Valdés in his system. The Chilean flourished with Ortiz during his tenure at Club América and now wants to have a similar player with Monterrey.

“As soon as the possibility of being able to manage Monterrey arose and in my head, I imagined the names on the field of play,” Ortiz continued. 

“That’s why I emphasized a position that we had with Valdés, the link between my central midfielders and Diego. Today maybe Maxi can do it, in Independiente he did it, but I like Maxi better on the outside, with a changed leg.”

Club América president comments on Tano Ortiz’s exit, Rayados hiring

Santiago Baños, president of Club América, spoke with TUDN on Tuesday, and of course, one of the questions was about the exit of Ortiz. The Argentine gaffer opted not to renew his contract with the Mexico City-based club. 

Additionally, Baños commented on Ortiz taking the Monterrey job right after exiting América after the elimination in the semifinals of the 2023 Clausura Liguilla to archrival Club Deportivo Guadalajara.

“I hope so [I had not talked to Monterrey before],” Baños told TUDN (h/t Record). “I guess there was no contact before. I don’t put my hands in the fire for anyone. We went down to the dressing room; I was in the players’ dressing room, [and] he goes into the coaching staff. 

“I asked the press if he had gone to a conference, they told me no, then the communication message arrived saying that he has just announced the departure of him and me. How? Yes, I talked to him [at that time].”