Mexico national team manager Juan Carlos Osorio has advised his El Tri stars against joining MLS clubs while they're in the prime of their careers as Giovani dos Santos did last summer.
Osorio, who coached MLS teams New York Red Bulls and Chicago Fire, said he thinks the MLS is more suited to players coming to the end of their careers.
"I believe that when a footballer is in his peak he should play in Europe and not MLS," Osorio said in a recent interview with Mexican outlet Excelsior. "[MLS] is for the end of a career and not for when a footballer still has a lot to give."
Osorio acknowledged that each case of a player joining MLS is different, but he gave a strong hint that he would prefer Carlos Vela, heavily linked with a move to play in the U.S., to remain in Europe.
"I expressed [my opinion] to Carlos Vela last year when I was in Europe, and I believe that the objective of all players in the world is to be in Europe, or at least that is the principal objective," Osorio said.
"However, every situation has its intrinsic factors that merit a more profound analysis. I don't know Giovani [dos Santos' reasons], that's why I won't give an opinion on it, but I do consider that the objective of Mexican players and all youngsters that are coming through is to play in Europe and stay there for a long time."
Osorio didn't call dos Santos up into his first Mexico squad last November because of an injury, although dos Santos did feature for LA Galaxy in the MLS playoffs.
Dos Santos, a 26-year-old forward, will also miss out on next month's Mexico friendly against Senegal in Miami, with Osorio saying this week that dos Santos wouldn't be in top condition for the match.