Malaysian naturalized player faces an uncertain future

The Malaysian naturalized player has just finished his loan contract with his parent club, while his playing future remains uncertain pending a decision from the CAS.

The Malaysian naturalized footballer, Imanol Machuca, has officially ended his loan spell at Vélez Sarsfield after the contract expired on December 31, 2025.

As is known, Machuca is one of seven players involved in a scandal regarding forged documents related to their eligibility to play, resulting in all of them receiving bans from FIFA. This shocking case has severely impacted the careers of the players involved, including Machuca, who has not played since September 2025.

According to Argentine media, Vélez Sarsfield decided not to extend Machuca’s loan from Fortaleza. This was confirmed by Sabadovelez on December 31, stating that the loan periods for Machuca and Tomás Galván at Vélez have officially ended.

“Today (December 31), the loan contracts for Tomás Galván and Imanol Machuca with Vélez have concluded. Machuca will not continue with the club, while negotiations with Galván are ongoing but no agreement has been reached,” sources from Argentina reported.

Earlier, Sabadovelez also revealed that Machuca would return to his parent club Fortaleza after the loan ended, as he awaits the final decision regarding the disciplinary sanction that is under appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

“El Fortín will not activate the purchase option. The player still needs to resolve the ongoing legal issues,” the news outlet reported back in November.

However, up to now, neither Vélez Sarsfield nor Fortaleza has issued any official statement regarding Machuca’s future, leaving the winger’s career path highly uncertain.

Currently, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has submitted the case of Machuca and six other naturalized players to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to continue the appeal process, hoping to overturn or reduce the sanctions imposed by FIFA.