Franco signs with Argentina's Estudiantes

Guillermo Franco is no longer without a club. The Mexican international returned to his native Argentina and will play for reigning Copa Libertadores champion Estudiantes de La Plata.

Franco will join Estudiantes following Mexico's game against Honduras on Sept. 9. If it was his way, however, Franco would have flown across the Atlantic Ocean after the match.

"I had wanted to stay in Europe," Franco told reporters. "But I'm going to Estudiantes, a team that is growing a lot."

Franco spent seven seasons with Monterrey in Mexico and scored 63 goals. Following the Apertura 2005 season, in which Monterrey lost to Toluca in the final, Franco left Mexico for Spain and joined Villarreal.

Franco also played for Mexico in the 2006 World Cup.

His time in Spain, though, diminished and he was not brought back for the start of the 2009-10 season. Franco said he would have preferred to have gone back to the Old World.

"My desire was to continue in Europe," Franco said. "Things did not work out that way and I had to make a decision. I wanted to go to an important club where I would have the change to be a difference-maker. I know the manager there well and has been talking to me for a month now. Estudiantes plays in league, the Club World Cup, Libertadores, so I believe I'll get a lot of minutes there and that's what I need. So I'm going to Estudiantes for a year." --Goal.com