Manchester United and Aston Villa have been linked with Pedro Vite in recent days, but his World Cup performances have apparently surprised even the people who watched him every week in Mexico.
The Ecuador international has emerged as one of the names to follow after impressing throughout the tournament, with reports in recent days linking both Premier League clubs to the Pumas UNAM midfielder.
While his future increasingly looks set to lie away from Mexico, those closest to Liga MX admit they did not expect him to reach this level quite so quickly.
According to Ecuador’s Diario Expreso, Mexican journalist Adrián Esparza believes Vite has taken his game to another level during the World Cup.
“Not necessarily a top-five player”
Esparza explained that Vite was already highly regarded before joining Pumas from Vancouver Whitecaps last summer, recalling how he caught the eye during the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup final.
After arriving in Mexico, the 24-year-old quickly established himself as an undisputed starter, becoming the player responsible for setting Pumas’ tempo in midfield.
Even so, Esparza insists his World Cup displays have exceeded what most people had seen from him in Liga MX.
“Vite’s level is very consistent. He’s not necessarily a top-five player in Liga MX, but he always stands out for his club with good performances,” he explained.
That consistency, combined with a productive partnership alongside Adalberto Carrasquilla, helped drive Pumas to the Clausura final – a remarkable achievement for a club whose squads are rarely among the strongest in Mexico.
“Pedro took Pumas to the final,” Esparza added, highlighting the midfielder’s influence.
World Cup has changed the picture
Perhaps the most telling part of Esparza’s assessment is that Mexico believes the World Cup has showcased an even better version of Vite than the one seen every week in Liga MX.
According to Diario Expreso, his displays for Ecuador have raised his international profile significantly, benefiting from playing alongside established names such as Moisés Caicedo and Willian Pacho.
Off the pitch, his reputation has also worked in his favour. Esparza described Vite as a player who “lives to train and be at home”, adding that he avoids controversy and focuses almost entirely on football.
That growing reputation comes as reports continue to link him with Manchester United and Aston Villa.
As we covered earlier this week, people around Pumas expect Vite to leave this summer, with his departure increasingly viewed as a matter of time rather than possibility.
For clubs following him from England, the World Cup appears to have confirmed something that even Mexico’s regular observers only fully appreciated over the past few weeks: Pedro Vite may have arrived at a new level just when the transfer window opened.
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