Luis Gil leaves Real Salt Lake, MLS for Liga MX's Queretaro
Luis Gil has left MLS's Real Salt Lake for Liga MX's Queretaro on a free transfer and signed a three-year deal with his new club.
The 22-year-old Gil is a fixture on the USA Under-23 men's national team and has been a highly touted prospect in MLS, drawing overseas interest since he began his career.
By losing Gil to a free transfer, RSL maintains his MLS rights should he return to the league or should another team be interested in acquiring them. At Queretaro, Gil will join former MLS players Camilo Sanvezzo and Jonathan Bornstein, and he'll be coached by Victor Manuel Vucetich, who is one of the most successful coaches in the history of Mexican soccer.
Gil amassed 11 goals and nine assists in 134 MLS appearances after debuting as a 17-year-old, with his best statistical season being a five-goal, three-assist campaign in 2013. He penned a thank you note to the club and its fans in his farewell:
Gil's new team could potentially face his old one in the CONCACAF Champions League semifinals, as RSL and Queretaro are on the same side of the bracket. RSL must get by reigning Liga MX Apertura champion Tigres, and Queretaro would need to beat D.C. United in order for that to happen. Either way, Gil is prevented from appearing for Queretaro in the remainder of the competition, given that he is cup-tied to RSL for playing in the group stage.
Gil joins Omar Gonzalez (Pachuca) and Jorge Villafaña (Santos Laguna) as MLS players to leave the league for Liga MX, though the latter two fetched transfer fees.
