Liga MX giant Club America is expected to reach a deal to bring Mexico international goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa back to Las Aguilas after seven seasons in Europe, sources have told ESPN FC.
Talks are advanced for the Standard Liege player and a deal could be struck as early as Tuesday, the sources said, although the Belgian first division club has tried to exercise a clause in the keeper's contract to retain him.
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"Memo" Ochoa is one of Mexico's most popular players and the starting goalkeeper spot at Club America is open after Las Aguilas sold Argentina international Agustin Marchesin to Porto last week.
Marchesin said he felt Ochoa was ideal to replace him, while head coach Miguel Herrera has showered praise on the goalkeeper he coached with the Mexico national team at the 2014 World Cup.
Bringing in Ochoa would be a significant coup for an America team that has had a turbulent last few weeks, with Marchesin and Colombia international Mateus Uribe sold to Porto, Edson Alvarez leaving for Ajax and Chile striker Nico Castillo fracturing his fibula last Saturday.
Ochoa has had offers from numerous European clubs in the past two weeks, including Serie A clubs Atalanta, Fiorentina and Lecce, as well as Spanish sides Real Valladolid and RCD Mallorca. But the 34-year-old needs regular playing time to figure into El Tri's plans for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar and is set to choose a return to the Mexico City club, where he made his debut for in 2004 under Dutch coach Leo Beenhakker.
Ochoa made over 200 appearances with America between 2004 and 2011 before making his move to Europe, where he featured for Ajaccio, Malaga, Granada and Standard Liege.
The Guadalajara native was a standout for Mexico in the last two World Cups.
America made headlines earlier this summer, when it signed Ochoa's international teammate Giovani dos Santos, who scored and assisted on his Estadio Azteca debut in the team's 3-1 win over Club Tijuana last Saturday.