Tigres UANL defender Carlos Salcedo is adamant that the current Liga MX leader has the quality to compete at the top end of the Bundesliga.
The 25-year-old center-back returned to Mexico in January to join Tigres from Eintracht Frankfurt and is preparing for Saturday's Clasico Regio against city rival Monterrey.
"We'd have a playing style probably like that of [fourth-placed Borussia] Monchengladbach, we'd possibly be amongst the top four [in Germany]," said Salcedo in an interview with ESPN. "[Tigres forward] Eduardo Vargas doesn't have to envy [Kevin] Prince-Boateng, who I played with."
Salcedo admitted he had offers from top teams in England, Spain and Germany since his positive displays at the 2018 World Cup, but that not having a European Union passport was an obstacle to advancing.
"You become not disillusioned, but it does become tedious," said Salcedo. "I spoke to my agent, I commented how other transfers were possible and for me three transfers collapsed because of the European passport."
Salcedo's Tigres will take on Rayados in Estadio BBVA Bancomer on Saturday without French striker Andre-Pierre Gignac due to an ongoing problem in his right knee.
Monterrey defender Miguel Layun, who returned to Liga MX from Villarreal in January, said earlier in the week that Saturday's rivalry match is the most passionate game in Mexican soccer.
"A Clasico Regio is much more passionate than a Clasico Nacional [America versus Chivas]," said former America player Layun in a news conference. "An America against Chivas is very national and an [Mexico City derby between] America against Pumas could be more passionate."
Monterrey come into the game in second in Liga MX and on a run of 12 games without a loss. They defeated Atlanta United 3-0 on Wednesday in the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal first leg.
Tigres lead Monterrey by one point atop the table and won 2-0 against Houston Dynamo on Tuesday in the same competition.