Cruz Azul Offers for Kevin Lomónaco as César Montes Looms
Cruz Azul moved for Kevin Lomónaco on June 11, and the Argentine defender of Independiente is already one of the club’s priorities for the back line. The push comes as César Montes stays in the wider conversation around Mexico’s defense and Erik Lira prepares for his first World Cup experience.
Lomónaco at the Front
Cruz Azul would already have presented an offer for Lomónaco. The club wants to reinforce central defense because Gonzalo Piovi or Willer Ditta could leave, which makes the search immediate rather than optional.
The target profile is clear: a center-back who can stabilize a unit that may lose one of its current pieces before Apertura 2026. Kevin Lomónaco sits at the top of that list, and the move signals where the club sees the most urgent roster risk.
Brunetta Remains in Play
Juan Brunetta remains on Cruz Azul’s radar as an attacking option, and Tigres would have set his price at 9 million dollars. That figure gives the chase a firmer cost and shows the club is weighing another addition beyond the defense.
Amaury García is also part of the picture, with Cruz Azul already working on his renewal. That keeps at least one internal decision moving while the club tests the market for outside help.
Erik Lira Before Mexico
Erik Lira was highlighted ahead of Mexico’s debut at the 2026 World Cup, where he is preparing for his first tournament experience. Javier Aguirre said in a press conference that the 26 summoned players have the same chances of getting minutes, a line that leaves the door open for Lira if he earns it.
“Saben que a cualquiera le puede tocar y no tienen ninguna duda de que lo pueden hacer y lo harán bien,” Aguirre said before the debut. For Cruz Azul, that adds a second layer to the day’s movement: one midfielder is heading into the biggest stage of his career while the club sorts out which names it wants to add, keep, or replace.
The immediate reading is simple. Cruz Azul is not waiting for the market to settle before acting, and its priorities are already split between a possible defensive reshuffle, Brunetta’s attacking price tag, and the need to plan around players who could move before Apertura 2026.
