Only a handful of Liga MX players, if any, are capable of creating the same kind of attacking impact as Aviles Hurtado. While some fans may point to an obvious name such as Andre-Pierre Gignac or Nicolas Castillo, Hurtado is much more than a finisher or an out-and-out striker.
In his most recent spell at Tijuana, the Colombia international was a highly versatile attacker that not only found the back of the net and provided assists, but also helped create a number of plays going forward for Xolos. Now all eyes are on him as he attempts to do the same for Monterrey.
It's not difficult to see how he became so coveted in Liga MX. When Hurtado first arrived in Tijuana before the 2016 Apertura, the winger quickly became a part of a front-line that included Milton Caraglio, Dayro Moreno and Gabriel Hauche. With Moreno, Hurtado and Hauche constantly interchanging positions in the attack behind Caraglio, Xolos' attack was a constant hassle for any opposition.
At Tijuana's Estadio Caliente, the front four consistently put on a show for the local crowd that had become accustomed to dull performances. During the preceding four seasons, Xolos had failed to qualify for the playoffs. By the time the Apertura started, Tijuana was also beginning to flirt with relegation. However, once Miguel "Piojo" Herrera (now at Club America) took over and players like Hurtado began to arrive, Xolos suddenly became dynamic and authoritative on the pitch.
Thanks to an entertaining attack that had no problems securing goals and a surprisingly stable defense, Tijuana finished the regular season in first place with an impressive tally of 33 points. Although Xolos were quickly knocked out in the quarterfinal round of the playoffs, local fans remained hopeful for the roster that had avoided relegation problems.
Hurtado, who finished with four goals and three assists in the Apertura, also emerged as a key figure in his first season with the revitalized squad. The winger's daring runs and unpredictable movement instantaneously made him a fan favorite as well.
Following the tournament, rumors of a possible move to Club America emerged and many expected him to leave. But once the 2017 Clausura rolled around, Hurtado made it clear that he was content with his current situation.
"I appreciate the fan support in Tijuana," stated the winger during a press conference in early January. "The people have made me feel good from the moment I got here. We were able to have a surprising [Apertura] tournament. We adapted fast and I feel good being here."
The same couldn't be said for Hauche and Moreno. Five days after Hurtado's comments about his decision to stay, Xolos announced that Moreno would be making his way to South America's Atletico Nacional. As for Hauche, the player was sent on loan to Toluca. Although it was admirable to see Hurtado stick with Tijuana's project, the player suddenly found himself without two teammates who helped him thrive with Xolos.
Did this eventually become a problem for the player or his club? Not at all. During the ensuing Clausura, Hurtado was nothing short of incredible. In spite of many skeptics who believed that Xolos would falter without Moreno, Tijuana's leading goalscorer in the previous competition Hurtado stepped up with a total of eight goals and six assists last season.
When Xolos were struggling to create anything in the attack, the 30-year-old would regularly kick-start plays out of thin air. In April, Hurtado also scored what might be one of the greatest goals of all-time in the Mexican league. What at first appeared to be a standard corner turned out to be a historic moment for the Colombian as he leapt into the air and pulled off an absurd bicycle kick goal against Atlas.
"The important thing is that the team is united," said Hurtado in a press conference a few days afterwards. "I don't worry about scoring goals. The team comes first. If a goal happens, great. I don't lose sleep thinking about the scoring title as long as the team is in the top spot."
It was a surprisingly humble moment and one that exemplified the nature of the player who didn't attempt to steal more of the spotlight. Hurtado continued to shine for Xolos, and with the highly-talented name taking charge, Tijuana was somehow able to once again exceed expectations.
Even without Moreno and Hauche, Xolos finished the Clausura regular season in first place. Since the creation of Liga MX's short-tournament format in 1996, it was the first time that a club had finished two regular seasons in a row at the top of the table. Also, with 30 goals scored, no other team was able to find the back of the net more often in the Clausura than Tijuana.
If Liga MX had a more traditional format, Xolos would have been able to lift a title. Herrera would justifiably be given credit for helping clinch the championship but without a doubt, the main influence in that theoretical title would have been Hurtado. Unfortunately, there would be no championship. After sneaking past Morelia in the quarterfinals, Herrera & Co. later stumbled against a daunting Tigres roster in the semifinals. Despite Hurtado's efforts Xolos finished another competition without any Liga MX hardware.
Four years after first venturing into the Mexican league and following an exceptional run with Tijuana, it was reasonable to expect the winger to finally agree to a major transfer over the summer. After rumors of interest from several clubs, Monterrey announced on June 7 that Hurtado had joined their squad. Although some fans of Los Rayados were perhaps hopeful of a bigger signing from Europe, in truth, the winger easily has the skills to be playing abroad if he wanted.
Now, the stage is set for not only Hurtado to impress, but also for Monterrey to once again make a chase toward a championship. With noteworthy options in support like Dorlan Pabon, Carlos Sanchez and Rogelio Funes Mori up front, they have the firepower to become the most intimidating side in Mexico.
One can't help but feel that this will also be the season in which Hurtado truly makes a name for himself in Mexico. At times in the shadows given the performances of marquee stars like Gignac, the brilliant winger is now going to be playing with the most gifted and proficient roster that he has ever dealt with in his career.
If Hurtado can carry over that momentum, spirit and attitude that helped him shine for Xolos, there's no stopping him or Los Rayados in the upcoming Apertura.