Houston Dynamo Transfer Cubo Torres to Liga MX Side Pumas UNAM

A few weeks after a deal with Veracruz fell through, the Houston Dynamo have successfully completed the transfer of Cubo Torres to Liga MX side Pumas UNAM for a reported fee of $2 million.

With the transfer completed the Dynamo now have additional funds they can spend on another player or players while also holding a designated player slot. The team has quality and depth up top in the form of Romell Quioto, Alberth Elis, Mauro Manotas, and Andrew Wenger. The club also recently added midfielder Darwin Ceren to bolster central midfield depth alongside Juan David Cabezas.

Cubo Torres had a tough time finding form while with the Dynamo following his breakout season with the former MLS club Chivas USA. The Mexican international forward struggled under Owen Coyle, whose tactics had become more conservative by the time Cubo arrived. It seemed like a natural fit for Cubo under Wilmer Cabrera, his former manager, and while things started off very well, Cubo struggled to find the back of the net as last season progressed and he soon lost minutes to Mauro Manotas who had begun to find his own form. The Manotas and Cubo debate was one that fired many Dynamo fans up, but with Cubo’s departure, now the focus can be directed at Manotas’s development and how Cabrera balances his other attacking options.

Last season, the Dynamo were the lowest salaried team and Cubo was the highest paid Dynamo player making a base salary of $650,000. The next highest was Alberth Elis making a base salary of $423,000. The Dynamo have also not re-signed Ricardo Clark who had a 2017 base salary of $335,160. This should give the front office some money to play with and shore up positions in midfield, along the backline, and in goal.

While we will miss the robot goal celebration, the number 9 jersey has now become available for Manotas or another player to wear. Where do you think the Dynamo should allocate their resources after the transfer fee and gain in wages?