This Liga MX star may be about to make the leap to Europe

Real Oviedo has stepped on the accelerator to lock in its first winter reinforcement: Elías Montiel, a 20-year-old Mexican midfielder and one of the brightest prospects to emerge from Pachuca’s academy. The Spanish club, stuck at the bottom of LaLiga with just nine points, believes Montiel can provide immediate solutions for a midfield that has struggled to execute head coach Luis Carrión’s game plan. The deal, moving quickly thanks to Grupo Pachuca’s shared structure, is expected to be a loan with a purchase option.

According to DAZN journalist Kery Ruiz, the opportunity came at a pivotal moment. Pachuca was knocked out in the Apertura 2025 play-in, and Montiel fell out of the rotation after shining for Mexico at the U-20 World Cup, where he was a key figure. His recent stay in Spain for treatment on a pubalgia injury fueled speculation and made it easier for Oviedo to act before other European clubs reignited interest - especially after Montiel appeared on international lists as one of the world’s top young prospects.

What would Montiel bring to Oviedo’s team?

Montiel would arrive in Spain after a defining year: earning minutes in Liga MX, finishing the tournament with one goal and two assists in eight matches, and boosting his international profile with Mexico’s U-20 squad. For Real Oviedo, that growth checks every box: energy, vision, transition ability, and the personality to compete from day one. Carrión wants reinforcements who can hit the ground running, and the Mexican could challenge for a starting spot against names like Leander Dendoncker, Santiago Colombatto, and Alberto Reina.

Oviedo struggling to avoid LaLiga drop

With 13 matches played and only nine points on the board, Oviedo look in need of reinforcement in the mid-season window. The team has lacked rhythm, suffered constant breakdowns, and shown little individual quality in key areas. In this context, Montiel could be the spark a battered squad desperately needs in a season overshadowed by relegation pressure. Even at his age, his arrival is seen as both an immediate resource and a long-term investment.

If negotiations wrap up without a hitch, Montiel would mark the first step in an urgent restructuring to avoid a quick return to the second tier. For the Mexican midfielder, it’s the European leap his career has been waiting for; for Oviedo, it’s a strategic play in a winter window that could define the season.

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