Keylor Navas’s contract with Pumas UNAM ends in June

Mexico City—When the Liga MX Clausura 2026 tournament wraps in late June, Pumas UNAM will face more than the usual post-season questions: the club must decide whether to fight to retain its most influential player or watch him walk away on a free transfer. Veteran goalkeeper Keylor Navas, 39, confirmed last month that his one-year deal expires with the final whistle of the campaign, and to date no extension has materialized.

“My contract ends at the end of the season,” Navas told KeryNews. “If it were up to me, if Pumas had approached me back in December, I would have signed a renewal without any problem. But the truth is, I have nothing to sign. The club hasn’t made me any offer, and they haven’t even come to talk to me.”

The Costa Rican’s statistics underline why his situation is attracting attention across the continent. Through the current Liga MX schedule he ranks second in total saves with 90 and is tied for third in save percentage at 75.9 percent, anchoring a Pumas side that leans heavily on his experience.

Across the border, Major League Soccer has taken notice. Broadcaster David Faitelson reports that an MLS offer sits on the table—one that Pumas, constrained by salary guidelines, cannot match. The development places the three-time Champions League winner at the center of a bidding war that could reshape the goalkeeping landscape in MLS.

Minnesota United, left vacant by Canadian international Dayne St. Clair’s off-season move to Inter Miami, currently roster only two keepers and sit near the foot of the Western Conference. Sources close to the club say Navas’s pedigree is viewed as a potential catalyst for a playoff push.

Atlanta United likewise find themselves in the market. After longtime starter Brad Guzan’s departure, the Five Stripes have turned to Lucas Hoyos, whose 42.9 percent save rate is the lowest in MLS. Orlando City, conceding goals at an alarming clip, have cycled through Maxime Crépeau and Javier Otero but remain bottom of the league in both goals against per 90 minutes and save percentage.

Inter Miami, now home to Lionel Messi, could provide the most romantic destination. Navas’s history with the Argentine is storied: he denied Messi a spectacular upper-corner goal in a 2016 El Clásico and saved a Messi penalty in the 2021 Champions League round of 16 while at Paris Saint-Germain. The pair later spent a season together in France, winning the 2021–22 Ligue 1 title. “Once we’re in a real match, we’ll finally be on the same side,” Navas joked in 2024, recalling training-ground battles with the superstar.

Yet a move to South Florida may hinge on timing. Inter Miami starter Dayne St. Clair, the 2025 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, is entrenched as the No. 1, though his own contract expires after 2026. Geography presents another wrinkle: Faitelson notes that Navas’s family has settled comfortably in Mexico, with proximity to Costa Rica a key factor when he joined Pumas from Newell’s Old Boys in 2025.

For now, Navas insists his focus remains on the present. “I’m continuing with my life and giving my best for Pumas because I’m one of them,” he said. Whether the club reciprocates with a new offer before June remains uncertain. If not, MLS appears ready to provide the next—and perhaps final—chapter of a decorated career.