Junior de Barranquilla is eager to compete not only in the Liga BetPlay Dimayor and Copa Colombia but also to make a significant impact in the second half of the year with their main objective: advancing in the Copa Libertadores. They are set to face Colo Colo from Chile in the Round of 16.
Recently, the team finalized the signings of Jhon Lerma, Yani Quintero, Andrés Felipe Colorado, and Yairo Moreno, who previously played for Independiente MedellÃn.
The departure of Sebastián Viera from Junior mid-2023 left a considerable void among the fans. However, Santiago Mele, another Uruguayan, stepped in to fill that gap impressively.
Mele has won the hearts of Junior fans with his remarkable performances. As a 26-year-old goalkeeper, he was pivotal in securing the tenth title in the 2023 final tournament.
Nevertheless, there are reports suggesting that Mele might leave Junior to join the upper echelons of world football. According to Uruguayan journalist Sebas Giovanelli, the City Football Group, which owns Manchester City, is interested in acquiring him.
Giovanelli stated, “City Group has inquired @JuniorClubSA about the conditions for Santiago Mele, the goalkeeper of @Uruguay. The intention is for him to move to @GironaFC. We’ll see what the Colombians decide, as they recently purchased the rights to @PlazaColonia for 1.5 million.”
If the transfer to Spain happens, Mele would join Colombian player Jhon Elmer SolÃs, who arrived from Atlético Nacional for the last campaign. This move would also give the Uruguayan goalkeeper a chance to compete in the next edition of the Champions League.
It’s important to note that the former Unión Santa Fe player has a contract with Junior until December 2026 and is valued at around 2.5 million euros in the market, according to Transfermarkt.
Throughout his time with Junior, including his participation in the 2024 Copa América in the United States, Mele has played 50 matches, allowing 51 goals while keeping 21 clean sheets over 4,500 minutes on the field.
Born on September 6, 1997, in Montevideo, Uruguay, Mele began his professional career in 2016 with Fénix. After four seasons, he moved to Turkey, where he played for Ankaragücü for a season.
His adventure continued in Spain with Lleida Esportiu, although he didn’t get much playing time. Mele returned to Turkey to join Ankaraspor for two seasons, during which he made 13 appearances.
In 2020, he returned to Uruguay to defend Plaza Colonia’s goal, gaining more recognition and winning the opening tournament in 2021. The following year, he moved to Argentina, where he signed with Unión de Santa Fe, achieving notable success with 58 matches played.
On the international stage, Mele progressed through Uruguay’s youth teams, winning the South American U-20 Championship in 2017. He received his first call-up to the senior national team in 2023, making his debut on March 28 in a friendly match against South Korea in Seoul.
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