Smaller Spanish clubs make the moves at transfer deadline

MADRID, AP:

With Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid banned from registering new players and Barcelona not looking to make any blockbuster additions to its squad, the final day of the transfer window in Spain was marked by low-key deals involving smaller clubs yesterday.

Madrid, which along with Atletico was sanctioned by FIFA for violating transfer rules while signing underage players, made the lone move of sending defensive midfielder Lucas Silva on a loan to former club Cruzeiro in Brazil until the end of the 2018 season.

The 23-year-old Silva arrived amid high expectations in 2015 after helping Cruzeiro win two straight Brazilian league titles, but was not able to establish himself as a starter with the Spanish powerhouse.

He also struggled on loan to French club Marseille last season, and an attempt to send him on another loan to Sporting Lisbon last year fell through because of the detection of a heart condition which later was deemed to not impede him from playing.

Silva has a contract with Madrid until June 2020.

Barcelona's only move was to add an 18-year-old Uruguayan player to its youth squad. It signed the deal with Penarol defender Santiago Bueno, who is playing with his national team in the Under-20 South American Championship. The contract is valid until June 2019.