Youri Ochoa mainly played for Independiente Juniors in 2023, but he also made a handful of appearances for Independiente del Valle U-19 and was one of the regular starters for the U-20 team who reached the finals in the U-20 Copa Libertadores. Ochoa has not made an appearance for Independiente del Valle’s first team in 2023, even though he made his debut for the Sangolquí-based side in 2022.
The midfielder stands at 1.73m with a slim build. He is not that strong in physical duels but battles well. Ochoa loses most of his aerial duels despite having decent timing and jumping reach. He has a good burst of speed and generates decent speed over longer distances. He is quite agile and changes directions quickly.
Ochoa mainly plays as a left central midfielder. He scans well before receiving and acts accordingly, taking a progressive touch when the space is there despite his first touch being a bit sloppy sporadically. His passing technique over short and long distances is good but he occasionally fails to keep the ball over the ground playing line-breaking passes. Ochoa displays decent vision, choice of passing and decision-making in the final third. He can become an aggressive ball-carrier, displaying excellent ball control, speed and athleticism. The Ecuadorian midfielder uses space efficiently, always receiving the ball in space and recognizing space in behind. Ochoa times his runs well and has the ability to make late runs into the box. Receiving the ball in first-phase possession, Ochoa likes to carry the ball forward into space or to play a diagonal pass towards one of the wingers or wing-backs.
Defensively, Youri Ochoa displays great energy and intensity to consistently put pressure on the opponent’s midfield or defensive line. However, if he does not bulk up and become stronger, his lack of physique will always hinder him in important duels in midfield. Ochoa displays decent defensive positioning but should improve this even further trying to compensate for his lack of physique. Ochoa is positively aggressive in physical duels, also displaying decent timing to step up.
My expectation for 2024 is that Youri Ochoa will play another full season for Independiente Juniors. He needs to work on his physical level in order to become an interesting player for clubs in Belgium. His technical and tactical profile is really interesting and good, so teams playing in the Challenger Pro League (in Belgium) might see him as an interesting target currently already. However, with Independiente del Valle having a strong financial position, it will probably tough to lure Youri Ochoa away from Independiente del Valle for a transfer fee that reflects his current market value.
Target Scouting 