Oribe Peralta
Oribe Peralta says El Tri's goals are a team effort. Reuters

Oribe Peralta has just become the best-paid Mexican soccer player in history. He was recently hired by América, rival team of club Santos Laguna, where he registered over 75 goals in eight seasons, helping the club claim Primera Division Clausura titles in 2008 and 2012. Not only did América pay a $10 million fee, but they want to keep “El Hermoso Peralta” with them, and that’s why they offered him an annual salary of $2.5 million.

These numbers are higher than Oswaldo Sánchez’s, who according to Forbes makes $2 million a year in Santos Laguna, and even beat Cuauhtémoc Blanco’s $2.2 million salary during his last stage with Las Aguilas. Peralta thanked the América directive, headed by Yon de Luisa, for making such a generous offer to acquire his services as a striker for the next four years. "I recognize the effort made to put an offer that was professionally important for both Santos and me," Oribe said.

"This is a winning trade for Oribe, for Santos and América. We have the privilege of making a historical transaction, with such an important club like América, which opens up a life project, important for his heritage and his career,” said Alejandro Irarragorri, Santos Laguna president. In the agreement of Oribe’s transfer, there is a clause, however, stating Santos’ preference to acquire América’s players in the next draft in case there’s an interest in the transferable players.

Negotiations are independent. This contract only contemplates Oribe’s arrival to the club, although we do not dismiss that we could close a negotiation with Santos for an América player,” Yon de Luisa explained. Like Irarragorri said, everyone’s winning in this transfer. Santos Laguna gets resources, the América gets a great player, and Oribe gets $2.5 million a year.

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