Legendary Barcelona player completes free transfer to Liga MX club Pumas

Dani Alves, a former Barcelona full-back, has joined Mexican first league team Pumas Unam on a free transfer. The veteran Brazilian returned to Camp Nou on a short-term contract in November, but he was released at the conclusion of the season.

Pumas are presently seventh in the 2022-23 Liga MX standings, having collected five points from their first three games.

⚽️ @DaniAlvesD2 te esperamos. 🇲🇽🇧🇷#OrigenDeLaPasión #SoyDePumas pic.twitter.com/bJe7ntoF2v

— PUMAS (@PumasMX) July 22, 2022

Pumas verified the announcement with a teaser video titled “Dani Alves, We are ready for you.”

After departing Barcelona, the 39-year-old defender stated his dissatisfaction with how his exit was handled and took aim at the club’s general day-to-day operations.

“I didn’t leave sad,” he said. I was relieved to have returned to Barcelona. I had wished for this second moment for five years. The only thing I didn’t enjoy about my leave was how it was handled.

“Since my arrival, I’ve made it quite apparent that I’m no longer a 20-year-old person, and that I want things done head-on, without concealing anything.” But, in recent years, this club has erred. Barcelona is uninterested in the individuals who have created history for the club.

“As a Cule, I’d want to see Barcelona approach things differently.” I’m not referring to myself since my circumstance was different. I will be forever grateful to Xavi and the president for rescuing me.

“I discovered a group full of young individuals with fantastic ideas on the field.” However, it must enhance its job outside of the field. The thinking is diametrically opposed to what we established a few years ago. Everything that occurs on the pitch is a mirror of what occurs in the outside world.

“I want Barcelona to win again, but it’s a tricky situation.” Football is more balanced; it is a team sport. And it was overlooked at the club.”