Domestic Transfer Breakdown (II)

By: Lugo | January 22nd, 2009

We continue into the Colombian League transfer series this time with the teams from the Pacific region:

Defending Champions America has beeing going trough a forceful revamp due to the severe economic turmoil that the team is in. Nonetheless, the sale of Pablo Armero to Palmeiras left them with some cash that they are spending carefully. That’s why they have the clever arrivals of Quindio’s productive defensive midfielder Diego Chará, Uruguayan goalkeeper Alexis Viera (to replace his countryman Berbia), Panamanian forward Gabriel Torres and Argentinian defenders Marcelo Torres and Fernando Batiste. Meanwhile, their rivals Deportivo Cali will have their new stadium (the first private stadium to be built in Colomcia) as their maximum novelty. Besides the stadium, the additions of Argentinian duo Mariano Herron and Sebastian Blazquez should provide solid options at the mid and goal respectively. The team’s still looking for a forward since the expected arrival of La Equidad’s Roberto polo has now fallen trough. Andrés Perez and Luis Omar Valencia will complete a total transformation of the midfield for the Greens. We’ll see if it’s a good one.

Meanwhile, the other team from the Pacific Coast, Deportivo Pasto have successfully arranged for a boatload of veterans to try to seek glory once again with Colombia’s southernmost team. Among them, Hugo Centurion, Carlos Castillo and Orlando Ballesteros are worth mentioning.

Now to the Coffee region, where the Whites of Once Caldas show little activity in the signings department and it’s going to be very difficult for them to cope with the loss of Ricardo Ciciliano. The opposite can be said about their rivals Deportivo Pereira which boasts Ecuadorian International Christian Lara, Paraguayan goalscorer Edison Gimenez, teen sensation Edison Toloza and former U-20 NT goalkeeper Libis Arenas. The Cane Cutters can be certainly called a title contender for another season. The last team in this region, Deportes Quindío doesn’t have much to show except for the revival of mega-veterans Victor Bonilla and Belmer Aguilar. But the losses of Chará and Potentially Santoya can hurt them badly. Relegation contenders.

Next up… Well, the rest of the country… hang in there…