By 2026-09-02, the transfer of Mexican midfielder Erik Lira from Cruz Azul to French club AS Monaco had collapsed because Monaco failed to complete the transfer of American forward Folarin Balogun to Everton, which would have freed up a non-EU player slot for Lira. ^[1] Folarin Balogun, a 25-year-old American striker, failed his medical tests with Everton, which halted the operation near the closing of FIFA's Transfer Matching System (TMS), the electronic platform that registers and authorizes international player transfers. ^[2] Alan Mozo has been confirmed as a new player for Cruz Azul in the Liga MX. ^[3] Cruz Azul had agreed with AS Monaco on a transfer fee of 9.2 million dollars fixed plus variables for Erik Lira, with Cruz Azul retaining 20 percent of a future resale. ^[4] Erik Lira has a contract with Cruz Azul and has an offer from Al Jazira Sporting Club of the United Arab Emirates, plus options in Portugal, the Netherlands and Turkey, where registration windows remain open according to FIFA's calendar. ^[5] Alan Mozo is now one of the few players in history to have worn the jerseys of three of the four biggest clubs in Mexican football. ^[6] No player in the professional era of Mexican football has played for all four of the biggest clubs: América, Chivas, Pumas, and Cruz Azul. ^[7] The article states that intense historical rivalries, social pressure, and institutional pride make it difficult for a player to sign with the fourth club after playing for the other three. ^[8]