Brentford appear to have missed out on Matías Orozco, with the Deportivo Cali midfielder now reportedly set to join another Premier League club. Leeds United and Liverpool are the two most possible destinations according to Colombian media.
The Bees made a formal approach for the 18-year-old weeks ago. Things have moved quickly since then, and experienced local journalist Mariano Olsen now says Orozco will move to an “important” English club in the coming hours.
Crucially for Brentford, Olsen clarified in replies that the mystery club is not them.
Premier League move said to be imminent
That is the big development since Brentford’s approach was reported. Olsen says Orozco is leaving Deportivo Cali and points to his €6m (£5.2m) release clause.
The journalist hasn’t revealed the destination yet, although Colombian reports have started trying to identify the club. At the moment, Liverpool and Leeds United are among the names being discussed in Colombia.
El País specifically mentions Liverpool alongside Brentford when covering the race. Their information appears to pre-date Olsen ruling the Bees out, so Liverpool remain one of the possibilities. Leeds have also been linked alongside the Reds elsewhere in Colombia.
At this stage, neither can safely be presented as Orozco’s destination. What appears considerably clearer is that Brentford’s approach hasn’t resulted in them winning the race.
Situation has changed rapidly
That’s quite a turnaround from the position reported only days ago. Deportivo Cali were said to prefer keeping Orozco so he could continue developing with their first team. Journalist Juan Esteban Osorio also stated there was no concrete negotiation at that point.
Any departure would have to be a permanent transfer. Olsen’s update suggests that situation has now developed quickly, potentially helped by the existence of the €6m (£5.2m) clause.
Orozco had only extended his Deportivo Cali contract earlier this year, signing until December 2029. His rise has been similarly quick. After making his senior debut in June 2025, he established himself as a regular during the first half of this year.
Orozco has made 27 first-team appearances in total and scored twice. He has also become captain of Colombia’s Under-20 side.
Those performances attracted attention from several European countries, but England now appears to have won the race. With the transfer said to be happening within hours, that mystery shouldn’t last much longer.
