As transfer deadline nears, final deals taking shape

The Liga MX winter transfer window slams shut today and several teams are finalizing paperwork to register new acquisitions ahead of the deadline.

The Chivas and Cruz Azul added to their locker rooms, the Tigres brought a new player in and sent a disgruntled defender out, while Toluca sent a back-up goalie packing.

The roster-shuffling takes place ahead of Matchday 4, allowing contenders and a few pretenders to tweak their line-ups with plenty of time to impact the playoff chase. Title favorites América and Tigres were particularly active, while Cruz Azul has lifted itself into the conversation with a major overhaul.

Macías returns to Liga MX with tail between his legs

Young striker J.J. Macías forced his way out of Chivas last summer by displaying such ill-humor that management rationalized sending him abroad was surely addition by subtraction. It didn’t work out for Macías (just 7 appearances totaling 197 minutes and no goals) and Getafe cut ties with him a few weeks ago.

The Chivas were reluctant to take back the 22-year-old Guadalajara native, but their ongoing cash-flow issues made it impossible to bring in much-needed help in attack. So Macías was quickly repatriated and registered. The front office hopes J.J. returns a chastened and changed man, eager to revive a career that seemed so promising when he was the top-scoring Mexican in Liga MX two seasons running.

Cruz Azul fans need a game program

The Cementeros hoisted the Guardianes 2021 trophy in May but their effort to claim back-to-back Liga MX titles fell flat last season. Management was still trying to recover from the mess left by fugitive team president Guillermo Álvarez (embezzlement, money laundering charges) so few imagined the aggressive moves that have taken place.

Five starters from the championship team are gone as are two top subs. Last week, “La Máquina” acquired Peru international defender Luis Abram and Chile international forward Iván Morales.

Now it appears another South American starlet is en route to Mexico City. Cruz Azul is in the final stages of a deal to bring in Paraguay playmaker Ángel Romero, apparently stealing him from under the nose of Boca Juniors. That last is a nice bit of payback after Boca poached midfielder Guillermo Fernández last month with some underhanded negotiating.

Off to slow start, Tigres react

The Tigres were kings of the Liga MX during the last decade (five league titles, two Copa México trophies and three Champions Cups), but have underperformed of late.

Mauricio Culebro and his staff acted quickly after a semifinals loss. In came defender Jesús Angulo from Liga MX champs Atlas, plus Olympic bronze medalist Sebastián Córdova. Then Chile international defender Igor Lichnovsky arrived to Cueva Zuazua.

But coach Miguel Herrera was not satisfied yet, so over the weekend the Tigres acquired Venezuela’s top striker Yeferson Soteldo. The 24-year-old starred for Brazil’s Santos in last year’s Copa Libertadores and figures to provide the playmaking the club has been lacking.

At the same time, disgruntled defender Carlos Salcedo was sent to MLS club Toronto FC as Herrera seeks to craft a back line more suited to his aggressive tactics.

Meanwhile, at the bottom of the Liga MX table

Mazatlán FC hopes to turn its fortunes around with the help of two veterans who made their names with Chivas – defender Oswaldo Alanis (returning to Liga MX after four years in Spain and MLS) and midfielder Marco Fabián.

Santos Laguna, a Liga MX finalist only nine months ago, is relying on its prolific academy system this season after selling off three offensive starters. So far it hasn’t worked (0-1-2) and the front office opened its pocketbook to bring in Colombian scorer Harold Preciado.

Toluca cut ties with Alfredo Saldívar, the goalie for whom they traded veteran netminder Alfredo Talavera. Saldívar failed to win the Diablos’ starting job, beaten out by Luis García, and he has fallen to third on the depth chart, while Talavera continues to play at an All-Star level.

Finally, Tijuana has made a late, desperate bid to avoid the financial penalty associated with the “Relegation Zone.” The Xolos have brought in veteran defender Lisandro López and are scrambling to finalize a deal to acquire Chile international winger Joaquín Montecinos.