Sporting Gijón advances in signing Uruguayan defender Gularte

Spanish club Sporting Gijón has advanced significantly in securing the signing of Uruguayan central defender Emanuel Gularte. The transfer is progressing as a loan deal from Mexican side Puebla, with sources close to the negotiations confirming the arrangement.

The operation gained momentum this week as club executives and representatives from the Orlegi Group were in Mexico for the start of the football World Cup. Sporting's executive president, José Riestra, oversaw the negotiations with Puebla, where Gularte has one year remaining on his contract. Both parties sought the optimal structure for his departure.

The proposed agreement involves a loan for the season, including a purchase option that will become compulsory should the Asturian team achieve promotion to Spain's top division. This mirrors the loan structure that brought Gularte to Peñarol, Uruguay's most decorated club, last season, where they ultimately did not exercise their purchase option.

Gularte, 28 years old and 1.89 meters tall, played 32 matches for Peñarol last season. He previously played in Mexico for Puebla and Querétaro. He represented Uruguay at various youth levels, including the U-23 team, and was part of the U-20 squad that won the South American championship and reached the final of the U-20 World Cup, although he did not play in those tournaments. Sporting's new coach, Nicolás Larcamón, strongly advocated for the signing, having previously worked with Gularte during their two seasons together at Puebla.