Hector Herrera will join Porto for a transfer fee that is set to break all records as the highest price ever paid for a Mexican player based in the Liga MX. The figure being circulated around the media is that FC Porto will pay $10 million USD for 80% of Hector Herrera’s pass (Herrera’s total costs is thus set around the $12.5 million mark). Is the Tijuana native really worth that much?
Hector Herrera was a key player for Pachuca, playing 42 matches with them. He is the type of player that can be considered a “box to box” midfielder: he can both break up the opposing team’s attacks, and create offense for his own side. With Pachuca, he demonstrated these abilities every single game, and was the motor that moved Pachuca on the field.
But, is Herrera really worth the reported figure of $10 million USD? At this price, he is more expensive than Diego Reyes ($6 million USD) and even Chicharito ($8-9 million USD). The only Mexican player that was ever sold for a higher fee was Nery Castillo, who’s transfer from Panathinaikos to Shakhtar cost the Ukrainian club $25 million USD (talk about a bad investment!).
Hector Herrera does have several positive aspects that might explain the record fee Porto is paying for him:
- Youth- Aged 23, Herrera has already proved to be an invaluable player for Pachuca, a rarity in the Mexican league, where young players usually don’t feature in top clubs. Furthermore, since Herrera has already proven to be an excellent midfielder at such a young age, he might improve even further with Porto, leading to an eventual sale (for a higher fee) down the line.
- Proven Talent- Herrera has shown with Pachuca that he can handle the high level of the Liga MX without any issues. Herrera has also won the Toulon Tournament (where he was honored as MVP) and the Olympic Gold Medal with Mexico. In high pressure situations, Hector Herrera came through.
- Mexican Market- Mexican players always bring along a sizable following to their new European clubs. Be that Ajaccio, Stuttgart, Real Sociedad, etc. any team that has a Mexican player on its squad gets a boost of coverage from the Mexican media.
In the end, only time will tell whether the $10 million investment in this young Mexican midfielder will be a success or failure. What is certain, is that the Liga MX has become a bit of an exporting league, with Hector Herrera joining the likes of Diego Reyes, Ochoa, Chicharito, Salcido, Maza, et al, as a player sold to a European side for a hefty sum.
