Chivas center back Oswaldo Alanis is training with the club's second team in Guadalajara because of a contract dispute while the first team continues preseason preparations in Cancun.
"Oswaldo Alanis will not make the preseason trip because he is in contractual negotiations with the directors," a Chivas news release read.
Alanis' contract reportedly is set to expire in June. While the 28-year-old was hoping to sign a multi-year extension, the club was seeking only to keep Alanis on for another six months.
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"We respect Oswaldo Alanisa lot, like all other players. He decided not to renew with us," Jose Luis Higuera, CEO of Chivas owner Grupo Omnilife, told Radio Marca Claro on Monday. "He asked for something that wasn't the right time for him. We didn't negotiate with the players we don't have (need to) contract negotiations with.
"With the contract we had, we gave Oswaldo the ability to look for another team. We made him transferable, practically would loan him if he would have stayed active. The only thing we asked is that if he were to go on loan, he had to extend his contract for protection."
Higuera said he spoke with coach Matias Almeyda and chairman Jorge Vergara and the group decided it was best to not have Alanis train with the team during preseason.
His teammates, however, don't seem to feel the same way.
"We haven't talked to him — well personally, I haven't spoken with him," forward Alan Pulido told reporters in Cancun. "We're going to wait for him. If he's transferable, it's too bad because he's a good player who gave a lot when Chivas was in good form.
"We're going to wait to see what happens."
In Liga MX, the 'pacto de caballeros' would mean Alanis would have to be sold by Chivas to play for another club or move abroad once his contract expires. With registration for the upcoming Clausura closed after the draft, he would need to go to Monterrey or Pachuca, who have a special extension because of their Copa MX final this week, or sign with a club outside Mexico.
Chivas have center backs Jair Pereira, Hedgardo Marin, Alejandro Mayorga and Carlos Salcido in preseason training but struggled in defense last season when Pereira or Alanis missed matches with injuries. Alanis played in 11 of the team's 17 matches during the Apertura.
"We're evaluating it, but you can't just look at the immediate situation. We don't think that's the way to do things," Higuera said of a potential move. "We decided that there are players who can replace Oswaldo. That's not to say he wasn't transferable or there weren't teams asking about him. Our stance isn't personal, it's professional.
"I don't decide if he's going to come back or not. It's not my decision, but at least today Oswaldo isn't in the plans for the first team."
The dispute puts Alanis' status for the World Cup in serious doubt. Alanis likely is on the bubble to make the final Mexico squad but played in three matches for El Tri this past summer at the Confederations Cup.
Alanis indicated he was not allowed to speak when recently approached by reporters outside Chivas' San Rafael training ground.
