Juan Pablo Ocegueda to Continue Training with Chivas de Guadalajara

Over on MLSsoccer.com today, Tom Marshall reported that U.S. U-20 international Juan Pablo Ocegueda will remain with Chivas de Guadalajara at least until the U-20 World Cup in June. Despite confusion over Ocegueda's contract status, Chivas de Guadalajara's policy against playing non-Mexican internationals, and rumors that he could be coming to Chivas USA this season, the young fullback will remain in Mexico for the time being.

Here's the breakdown. Although there were mixed reports about Ocegueda's ongoing connection to UANL Tigres, he is indeed still under contract to the Monterrey club, and is currently on loan at Chivas de Guadalajara. Chivas told Marshall that he will only train with the Guadalajara club, since he has publicly insisted he only wants to represent the United States, and Chivas will not allow a U.S. international to play for them. So he may get scrimmage time, but he won't be playing competitive matches for the next several months.

Evidently, a possible move to Chivas USA was prohibited because as sporting director Dennis Te Kloese noted, "league regulations make this too difficult."

If I was to speculate on what that could be, my first inclination would be that the loan situation prevented it. As far as my understanding, based on FIFA regulations, a player can't go on a double loan (in other words, be owned by team A, loaned out to team B, then loaned out by team B to team C). If Chivas USA got Ocegueda on loan this spring, Tigres and Chivas de Guadalajara would have had to cancel their loan, then Tigres would have had to turn around and loan Ocegueda to Chivas USA. Conversely, Tigres could cancel his contract, but they don't seem inclined to do that (probably hoping they can get a transfer fee for him). As a result, a loan to Chivas USA is not a possibility in the short term.

Still, the unorthodox arrangement sets up possible moves down the line. Chivas de Guadalajara could choose to alter its policy or grant Ocegueda an exception in order to play real, competitive matches (probably dependent on his talent level, ultimately). Ocegueda could be on the move, either on a permanent move to Chivas or another club in the summer following the World Cup. He could also end up at Chivas USA down the line, especially if he shows some promise but Chivas de Guadalajara refuses to alter its player policy. Either way, he won't be coming to Chivas USA for at least several months, and you'll have to head to Chivas' training if you want to see him play.

What do you think? Leave a comment below!