Xolos de Tijuana had a great Apertura 2025 tournament under Gilberto Mora and the technical direction of Sebastian Abreu. But the team from "La Frontera" wouldn't stop there. Xolos are reportedly very close to finalizing the signing of Josef Martinez. Cesar Luis Merlo, a journalist specializing in transfers, reported that negotiations between Josef Martinez and Xolos de Tijuana are in their final stages. This information came to light thanks to his report in Super Deportivo. "Exclusively, Super Deportivo has learned that negotiations for Josef are in their final stage and it's just a matter of details before his signing for the Clausura 2026 tournament is completed," the report states. Josef Martinez played in the last Major League Soccer season with the San Jose Earthquakes. However, the 32-year-old Venezuelan striker will not continue with the American team. In this sense, Xolos would acquire his services without having to pay a single dollar for his transfer.
Who is Josef Martinez
Josef Martinez was born in Valencia, Venezuela, on May 19, 1993. The 32-year-old South American striker rose to prominence in the local league with Caracas FC. In 2012, Martinez was sold to Young Boys of Switzerland. The Venezuelan striker remained in Swiss football until 2014. During that period, he also played for Thun.
In 2014, Josef Martinez was transferred to Torino of the Italian first division. The Venezuelan striker scored 13 goals and provided 6 assists in 76 matches played with his club. In 2017, he began his journey in Major League Soccer. The Venezuelan national team striker has played in Major League Soccer with Atlanta United, Inter Miami, Montreal, and the San Jose Earthquakes. While with the Earthquakes, Martinez was involved in the transition following the arrival of Lionel Messi. The veteran South American striker has played more than 250 matches in Major League Soccer. Josef Martinez has scored more than 150 goals in the American league to date.Injuries slowed his goal-scoring rate somewhat, which he maintained during his time at Gerardo Martino's Atlanta United, but he remains a highly valued player in the market ($2.2 million).
