With Quispe in Mexico and Paolo looking for a club: this is the map of Peruvians abroad that Fossati will have as a base | INFOGRAPHIC

And he will begin his journey from the friendlies in March. That is to say, he will have his creation, Quispe, already with a few months of experience abroad, more adapted and with the responsibility that being a member who comes from abroad gives you. Piero, with the Uruguayan, had his best season: six goals and two assists in 42 games.

Tito Chumpitaz, heir to the great Héctor Chumpitaz and discoverer of the midfielder, already said it: “It is a blessing for Quispe that Fossati is at Universitario”. And yes, to make him the best in Peruvian football this year, the 71-year-old coach had to ask Piero to forget about being the driver of the U – with Compagnucci he started from behind trying to string together the attack – and start receive closer to the rival area, starting from the left towards the middle. That’s where his life changed.

Fossati will take the national team with the best Piero. But with a short universe of footballers, with just two players (Renato Tapia and Gianluca Lapadula) in one of the five major leagues (Spain and Italy, respectively) in Europe. But he will try to reverse the harsh reality (last in the 2026 Qualifiers with two points in six dates) as he did with Universitario this year.

The consolidated

The good thing, among all the bad things in the Bicolor present, is that Jorge Fossati will have a backbone of established players in his clubs. Starting from the arch, Pedro Gallese He was nominated for best goalkeeper of 2023 in Major League Soccer after a great season at Orlando City, a club where he has played since 2020 and is already a benchmark. The ‘Octopus’ finished the year with a record of eleven clean sheets in all competitions. He is currently waiting for the start of the 2024 season, which will be in February.

In defense, Peru has two players in Europe: Renato Tapia in Celta of Spain and Marcos Lopez in Feyenoord in the Netherlands. Tapia has acted as a center back and defensive midfielder with Juan Reynoso, although it is in the first position where he showed himself best with the red and white jersey on. In his club, ‘Cabezón’ began the 2023-24 campaign relegated by coach Rafael Benítez, but in the latter he was the undisputed starter. In fact, he has chained four matches starting from the first minute, something that has not happened since April of this year. However, the Spanish coach requested the hiring of Brazilian Jailson, a defensive and physical midfielder like the Peruvian who has a contract until June 2024.

Marcos López, for his part, began his journey in the Old Continent by celebrating the Eredivisie title (first division of the Netherlands) with Feyenoord in the 2022-23 campaign. This season he has been the only Peruvian to play in the Champions League, although his team stayed in third place in the group and entered the Europa League. The 24-year-old left back, who can also play as a winger on that wing, played just seven games in all competitions. He is fighting to win the title.

Above, Gianluca Lapadula He fully recovered from his right ankle injury and is now Cagliari’s ‘9’ again. The ‘Bambino’ was the scorer and the figure of his team to achieve promotion to Serie A for this campaign. He has played seven games between the league and the Italian Cup and has scored two goals. This Saturday he would start against Empoli in search of more celebrations.

Sergio Pena, currently Swedish champion, would stay in Malmö for one more season. Despite the rumors of his return to Alianza, DT was able to learn that the player will not reach Matute, at least in this transfer market. The club tried to convince him, but the midfielder’s plans are to continue in Europe. On his side, Oliver Sonne, the pleasant appearance like the Lapadula case -Sonne is Danish with Peruvian roots-, is standing out at Silkeborg: he has given three assists and scored a goal in 20 games between league and cup. He has not yet debuted with the Bicolor, but he has already been called up twice.

While, Luis Advíncula He finished earning the affection of Boca Juniors fans for his impressive 2023: he was the top scorer for the Xeneize team in the Copa Libertadores, a tournament in which they reached the final although they lost 2-1 against Fluminense. The scorer of the goal was Lucho. The right back still has a contract with the Argentine team, although in 2024 he will compete in the Copa Sudamericana.

Others who have managed to consolidate themselves in their clubs are Luis Abram (Atlanta United of the MLS), Wilder Cartagena (Orlando City of the MLS and signed a contract renewal days ago), Anderson Santamaria (Liga MX Atlas), Peter Aquino (Santos Laguna and played in the semi-finals of the Liga MX) and Andre Carrillo (Al-Qadisiya of the second division of Saudi Arabia). For its part, Christian Cueva He still belongs to Al Fateh after his time at Alianza Lima. ‘Aladdin’ suffers a serious injury to his knee and must undergo surgery. Recovery will take between six or seven months.

Paolo Guerrero and Trauco without team

Paolo Guerrero’s 2023 exemplified something that we all knew: its validity. The Peruvian ‘9’ thus managed to add 15 titles in his impressive career. However, his future is not yet defined.

Paolo ends his contract with LDU on December 31. And it is unlikely that he will expand the bond with him. These days the rumor of Alianza Lima arose, but sources from Matute told us that he is not in the plans. The footballer himself confessed, in an exclusive interview with this newspaper, who waited for the call from the club of his loves, but it never came. Of course, from Brazil they point out that the attacker would have proposals from Criciúma, Juventude and Vitória, and the possibility of a return to Corinthians was also discussed, a club where he is remembered for his goal against Chelsea in the 2012 Club World Cup. That is, team, the Bicolor’s historic scorer, who will celebrate his 40th birthday this January 1, will not be lacking.

For its part, Miguel Trauco He would not continue with the San José Earthquakes of Major League Soccer. The left back was the protagonist of rumors about a possible return to Peruvian football (Universitario and Alianza Lima were expectant), but his future could be in Brazil: Chacho Coudet’s Inter de Porto Alegre, which this year reached the semifinals of the Cup Libertadores, would be in their footsteps.

Same scenario for Christopher Gonzales. The offensive midfielder still has a contract with Al Adalah in the second division of Saudi Arabia, but he would be looking for a way out. Sports University seeks to repatriate it for the centenary, although it is not a simple operation.

To follow them closely

Another of the League 1 footballers who emigrated is Kevin Quevedo. The winger, one of the few who use both profiles, was requested by Jorge Célico, a coach with whom he shone this year at Deportivo Garcilaso. Quevedo returns abroad after his time in Brazilian football and could enter the universe of Jorge Fossati.

As the, Kluiverth Aguilar (Lommel SK from Belgium, 15 games played in 2023), Jesus Castillo (Gil Vicente of Portugal, four games), Luis Iberico (Latvian Cup champion with Riga FC) and Alessandro Burlamaqui (Intercity of Spain’s third division) will fight to get into the new coach’s calls.

A new path begins and Professor Jorge Fossati will have the duty to fight to go to the World Cup with a short universe of players abroad.