Earlier today it was revealed that Diego Lainez is in advanced talks to end effective immediately his loan spell at Portuguese side S.C. Braga, after he has been snubbed completely from the plans of head coach Artur Jorge. Lainez, will return to his club Real Betis, but he will not be considered in the Spanish team either, so he needs to urgently find a team before the January transfer window closes.
The 22 year old has been in limbo for more than 3 years, and it’s unclear as to why he hasn’t gotten a fair shot at a starting role since his European adventure started in 2019.
What Went Wrong?
The talented winger has been on a rollercoaster ride since he initially joined Real Betis in 2019, and even though he showed some sparks here and there, he never got a shot at a starting role in the Sevillian team, which has had two different coaches since 2019, Rubi and Manuel Pellegrini.
After failing to secure playing time in Spain, and with the 2022 World Cup looming, Lainez embarked on a new adventure when he signed on loan at S.C. Braga, and even though he had a hero’s welcome in his official unveiling, he never got a fair opportunity to prove his worth, which led to him being left out of Mexico’s 26-man World Cup Squad because he had almost null playing time.
It’s been unclear as to why Diego Lainez has failed to make an impression, since he has never been subject of any indiscipline or attitude problems that we know of, but on the other side the most plausible reason may be his different physique compared to the typical European player. Lainez is 1.68m (5ft 6in), which makes him a less than ideal player to stand out in a very physical league such as La Liga.
The Road Ahead
Lainez is known to be a fierce competitor, and has been relentless since the beginning of his career, and perhaps his ‘weaknesses’ may ultimately be his greatest strengths, as he has shown to be a ‘difference-maker’ type of player, and if he can stay patient his time will come to prove once and for all of what he’s made off.
The Mexican winger needs to find a team before the transfer window closes so he can at least have some playing time, and if things start to go his way, he will without a doubt make it back to the National Team for a new beginning, with a new head coach as well. Lainez has a lot of future, but he needs to make sure he finds a team in Europe that can exploit his full potential, and at his young age he will sooner or later have a shot to make it all worth it.
