Football Tribe SEA Editor
Long-time Buriram United captain and star center-back Andres Tunez is set to depart from the Thunder Castle, the club announced earlier today.
The Venezuelan defender has been among the most iconic players in the league since his arrival in 2014 and has become synonymous with the modern Buriram United during his seven years there.
During his time with the club, Tunez won four Thai League titles, two League Cups and an FA Cup trophy. In a league renowned for the constant turnover of foreign players, Tunez has been a rare rock of stability, establishing himself as a club leader and fan-favorite during the most successful period in the club’s history.
However, performances in recent campaigns have suggested that it could be time for the seven-time Thai League champions to look elsewhere if they wish to remain ahead of the curve, and as they say, all good things must come to an end.
It is an end which was undoubtedly bought forward by the current predicament of the Thai League (which has been suspended until September due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak), but one which was inevitable nonetheless.
Along with Tunez, the club has also parted ways with Korean defensive midfielder Jeong Jae-Yong, who only played four league games for the club after arriving from Pohang Steelers.
Questions now remain over the fate of the club’s other two foreign players, Argentinian Bernardo Cuesta and Brazilian Ricardo Bueno. Additionally, as clubs currently struggling financially through the COVID-19 crisis, fans will rightly be concerned about the club’s ability to bring in strong replacements for these players.
Replacing Tunez’s quality and ability will be difficult under the current conditions, but replacing his stature and legacy at the club would be impossible even under the most favorable circumstances. Buriram will need to have an uncharacteristically strong transfer season to ensure that the club’s period of unprecedented success does not end despite the departure of one of its chief architects.
