It would be the second reunion of the summer for sporting director Loren Juarros, following the arrival of fellow ex-Málaga man Fernando Calero.
Juan Cruz, an Argentine-born winger raised in Rincón de la Victoria, knows the club intimately. He joined Málaga's academy at alevín level in 2010 and progressed through every youth category before making his senior debut, coming off the bench late in a 0-1 home defeat to Getafe on 19 May 2018 — the same match in which Málaga were relegated from the top flight.
He is currently under contract at Leganés until June 2028, and Málaga head coach Juan Funes has reportedly played a key role in persuading him to make the move, having held talks with the winger directly and convinced him he would be an important part of the club's plans this season.
Leganés value the player highly enough to have placed an €8m release clause on him, which is why Málaga's move is being structured as a loan rather than a permanent transfer.
Juan Cruz operates primarily on the left wing but is comfortable through the middle or on the right — precisely the kind of versatility Loren Juarros has been targeting in this transfer window. The winger is reportedly due to undergo a medical this Friday, after which the loan would be made official.
Should the move go through, it will mark Juan Cruz's second stint away from his boyhood club since leaving in 2021, having previously spent time on loan at Betis before settling at Leganés, where he played a key role in their promotion campaign and subsequent fight against relegation from LaLiga.
For Málaga, the deal would represent another shrewd piece of business in a summer defined by bringing familiar faces back to La Rosaleda ahead of a return to LaLiga.
The reinforcement comes as Juarros reshapes the squad following promotion, with a left-sided attacker capable of playing across the front line giving head coach Juan Funes added tactical flexibility for the step up in level.