Real Sociedad signs Mexico defender Moreno
MADRID (AP) - Real Sociedad signed veteran Mexico defender Hector Moreno on Wednesday as the transfer window closed in Spain without any high-profile transfers involving the top clubs.
While Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid did not add any major players to their squads, Sociedad signed the 30-year-old Moreno from Roma in a deal reportedly worth 6 million euros ($7.4 million). He is joining the Basque Country club until 2021.
Moreno arrived to replace defender Inigo Martinez. He left for Athletic Bilbao to fill the absence of Frenchman Aymeric Laporte, who this week joined Manchester City in a transfer worth 65 million euros ($80 million).
Moreno has made 89 appearances for Mexico's national team.
Sevilla secured former Barcelona forward Sandro Ramirez on loan from Everton. It had already brought in Mexico defender Miguel Layun from Porto and midfielder Roque Mesa from Swansea.
Six players from Saudi Arabia were signed by Spanish clubs on loans until the end of the season as part of a partnership between La Liga and the Saudi Arabian football federation to develop soccer in Saudi Arabia.
Three of those players - Salem Al Dawsari, Fahad Al-Muwallad and Yahya El Shehri - helped Saudi Arabia qualify for the World Cup in Russia. They will play for Villarreal, Levante and Leganes, respectively. The three other players joined lower-tiered clubs.
Other Spanish clubs were also involved in short-term deals.
Nigerian forward Emmanuel Emenike joined Las Palmas on loan from Greek club Olympiakos. The Spanish club also signed Nigerian forward Peter Etebo on loan from Portuguese club Feirense.
Espanyol signed Colombian defensive midfielder Carlos Sanchez on loan from Fiorentina, with an option to buy him at the end of the season.
Real Betis, which signed defender Marc Bartra from Borussia Dortmund, released Romanian player Alin Tosca to play on loan with Benevento in Italy.
Celta signed Argentine forward Lucas Boye on loan from Torino, while former Italy forward Giampaolo Pazzini joined Levante on loan from Verona.
Barcelona had already signed Brazil playmaker Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool and Colombia defender Yerry Mina from Brazilian club Palmeiras.
Atletico Madrid had added Diego Costa and Victor "Vitolo" Machin earlier in the month after its transfer ban from FIFA was lifted. Midfielder Augusto Fernandez left the club to join Chinese soccer.
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