Much of the focus of the Liga MX draft ahead of the 2016 Clausura fell on Chivas, with the Guadalajara club fighting relegation this upcoming season and limited in the foreign market due to its policy of only fielding Mexican players.
The result was positive overall for the club, with the signings of Carlos "Gullit" Pena from Leon and Orbelin Pineda from Queretaro both confirmed as the domestic transfer window shut on Wednesday.
In Pena, Chivas have one of the Liga MX's very best attacking midfielders in his prime. The 2014 World Cup veteran may have dipped in form after that tournament, but in the past Apertura he showed he is nearing a return to his best.
There was a lot made about the 25-year-old's tearful farewell at Leon and his statement about the decision to transfer to Chivas being made by the club directors, but Los Rojiblancos are getting a fine player who brings something the club has badly missed over the last few years: goals from midfield.
As for Pineda, he may not be the complete article at just 19 years old, but the attacking midfielder -- who can also play on the flank -- is one of Mexico's best youth talents. The former Queretaro player is already approaching 50 Liga MX matches and his robust physique and vision means he should form a genuinely exciting midfield partnership with Pena.
On the negative side for Chivas, there wasn't the last-minute surprise many fans were hoping for. There had been rumors about Chivas being interested in Pumas striker Eduardo Herrera, but that deal didn't come off, although sporting director Jaime Ordiales didn't discount the possibility of Olympiakos forward Alan Pulido returning to Mexico, having found minutes hard to come by in Greece.
Heading out from Chivas was midfielder Jorge "Chaton" Enriquez on loan to Leon and Carlos Fierro to Queretaro, also on loan. Both have won important international events at youth level and been heralded as important players with big futures, although their careers have stagnated over the last couple of years at Chivas. Perhaps leaving will provide both with a fresh start and Chivas can always bring them back if they do find some confidence and form.
The other departure from Chivas is the mercurial and inconsistent Marco Fabian, who moved to Eintracht Frankfurt. The deal is a setback to Chivas coach Matias Almeyda, but the Pena and Pineda signings do offset Fabian's exit.
Elsewhere in the Liga MX, Club America brought in forward William da Silva from Queretaro; Atlas signed Uruguay midfielder Egidio Arevalo from Tigres; Joffre Guerron (Tigres) and Aldo Leao (Atlas) went to Cruz Azul and U.S. international Joe Corona moved from Veracruz to Dorados de Sinaloa.
There were a total of 51 player movements between Liga MX clubs, with just short of $23 million changing hands. The Liga MX "draft" isn't a traditional draft like those associated with North American sports, but more of a transfer deadline day event in which team owners meet up and thrash out deals.
It's important to note that the activity does not stop with just the draft. More movement is to come, with Liga MX clubs still able to sign and register players from outside of Mexico up until the Feb. 1 international transfer deadline, with each allowed five foreign players.
If anything, the comings and goings in Liga MX have just begun.