Antonio Herrera loaned to Chivas

UPDATE: Herrera's loan to CD Tapatío was finalized on Tuesday. He'll remain there until the end of the Liga de Expansíon season in May, at which point they'll have an option to make the transfer permanent.

Antonio Herrera’s loan to Chivas has been finalized, Sounder at Heart has learned. At least to start, Herrera is expected to play for Chivas’ U23 team, CD Tapatío that competes in the Liga de Expansíon. The Defiance will collect a loan fee from Chivas and would retain a significant sell-on percentage if Herrera’s $100,000 purchase option is exercised.

While it’s not necessarily the most lucrative transaction, the Sounders see this as a way to open new angles on their development pipeline. While several Defiance players have gone on loan before, this is probably the most competitive league any of them have gone to. The Defiance have never before sold a player abroad.

Herrera has been regularly called into Mexican youth national teams and is coming off his first full season as a professional. The 18-year-old made 17 appearances and logged about 900 minutes with Defiance, mostly playing as a winger or wingback. He had a goal and an assist.

This story was originally published on Jan. 8, 2024 and updated on Jan. 30, 2024.