EL PASO, Texas – El Paso Locomotive FC announced on Wednesday it has acquired midfielder Ricky Ruiz via transfer from USL League One club Chattanooga Red Wolves SC, and midfielder Stiven Rivas on loan from Colombian club Real Cartagena for the remainder of the 2024 USL Championship season. The transactions are pending league and federation approval.

“We are glad to welcome Ricky and Stiven to El Paso,” Locomotive Head Coach Wilmer Cabrera said. “Ricky is a versatile player who has experience in several areas on the pitch and I know what he is capable of having coached him at Rio Grande Valley FC. As for Stiven, he is a young, talented and skillful Colombian player with a great attacking mentality and solid, creative technique on the ball. We look forward to integrating them on the pitch for the second half of the season.”

Ruiz reunites with Cabrera as he returns to the to the USL Championship after spending the first half of 2024 with the Red Wolves. Ruiz spent the 2022-23 seasons with Cabrera at Rio Grande Valley FC, where he recorded 68 appearances and bagged six goals and eight assists.

“I’m very excited and I’m happy to be here to help turn things around,” said Ruiz. “Having worked with Wilmer in the past, I'm glad he took me into consideration, so I look forward to playing with him again and I hope to perform to the best of my ability. I'm excited to meet the fans, who always have great energy, and I can't wait to see them out at the stadium.”

Rivas is a native of Colombia who spent the last two seasons with Real Cartagena in Colombia's Second Division. In 70 appearances for the club he recorded three goals and nine assists. Prior to his time with Real Cartagena, Rivas spent time with the reserve sides of Grêmio (Brazil, 2020-22) and Tigres UANL (Mexico, 2019-20).

“I’m looking forward to this new opportunity and I can’t wait to go out and play for this club and city,” said Rivas. “I’ve heard many good things about this team and organization, so I’m excited to get to meet everyone and fight to finish this season strong.”

Analysis

Following the departure of midfielder Liam Rose to Australian A-League club Macarthur FC, Locomotive now begins the reconfiguration of its midfield with Head Coach Wilmer Cabrera going to familiar avenues to try and sharpen the roster. Ruiz arrives having shown creativity during his time with the Toros and his ability to combine with Amando Moreno, Tumi Moshobane and Justin Dhillon adds another useful option in the attacking third for the side.

Rivas, meanwhile, has the pedigree and will now try to carry that into success into success over the remainder of the season. Real Cartagena, of course, is the club that Wilmer Cabrera Jr. began his career at while spending time on loan with Rio Grande Valley FC last season before his move to Germany’s Greifswalder FC. If Locomotive can find a similar level of production from the 23-year-old as Cabrera Jr. delivered for the Toros, it should help an attack that has seen too many ups and downs so far this campaign.