Rumor: Juan Manuel Sanabria

In one of the more confusing transfers of the offseason, it has now been confirmed that Juan Manuel Sanabria will be signing with Real Salt Lake.

The situation first surfaced on January 29, when reports emerged that RSL had secured the Uruguayan wingback. Shortly after, supporters of Atlético San Luis reacted strongly to the news, as Sanabria had become a clear fan favorite at the club. Within days, it was reported that the move had fallen apart and that Sanabria had instead agreed to a contract extension with San Luis.

However, the story did not end there. It appears that Real Salt Lake returned with an improved offer, ultimately convincing Sanabria to make the move to Utah and bringing the saga to a surprising conclusion.

Sanabria is a 25-year-old, 5'8" left wingback from Uruguay. He began his professional career in Spain with Atlético Madrid, making one appearance for the first team before moving on to Real Zaragoza. In 2021, he transferred from Spain to Mexico, where he has since become a key figure for Atlético San Luis. Across more than 170 appearances with the club, he has recorded 8 goals and 33 assists, an impressive output for a player operating primarily as a left wingback.

On the international stage, Sanabria recently earned his first senior cap for Uruguay and is considered a hopeful candidate for the upcoming World Cup.

The transfer fee is rumored to be around $2.5 million, with his contract expected to come in just under the maximum GAM threshold of approximately $1.7 million. If accurate, this would make Sanabria the highest-paid player on Real Salt Lake’s roster.

At present, the left wingback position at RSL includes Alexandros Katranis, Sam Junqua, and Ruben Mesalles. Despite that depth, Sanabria arrives as the clear favorite to lock down the starting role when the season begins.

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