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Players are leaving, joining and even returning. And some teams are substantially rebuilding.
With the start of the CONCACAF Champions League six weeks away, several teams in Central America are not only retooling for their domestic seasons, but for the regional competition as well.
Busiest of all has been Panama's Chorrillo FC, which has re-acquired Panama national team midfielders Alberto "Negrito" Quintero (from Colombia's Independiente Medellin) and Renan Addles (from Bolivia's Aurora), forward Alcidiades Rojas (from Victoria in Honduras) and Panama under-23 defender Edward Benitez from Sporting SM.
Quintero returns after only half of a season at Medellin, which finished 16th in the 18-team Colombian league, and likewise Rojas, both of whom helped Chorrillo to the Panamanian Apertura title last fall.
Chorrillo, which dropped to fifth this past Clausura after winning the Apertura, will play in Group 7 of the Champions League against two-time defending champion Monterrey and Municipal of Guatemala.
Fellow Panamanian club Tauro has added U-23 defender Manuel Apsrilla, who played in CONCACAF Olympic qualifying in March, from Tigres' reserve side. Published reports in Panama indicate the Clausura champion could lose midfielder Luis Renteria and forward Edwin Aguilar to international transfer market.
Municipal, which won its 29th Guatemalan crown in the fall and was edged out on penalties by Xelaju for the Apertura title, also has made substantial changes.
It has signed Costa Rican midfielder Josimar Arias from Herediano and Uruguayan forward Santiago Lopez from Rentistas, and who played for Zuchitepequez last year.
Additionally, it has acquired defenders Manuel Moreno from and Sixto Betancurt from fellow Guatemalan side Juventud Retalteca, both of whom were member of the Guatemala U-20 team that competed in last year's Under-20 World Cup.
Xelaju also has been adjusting its roster, adding Costa Rican forwards Allan Aleman from Saprissa and Edgar Greaves from Deportivo Zacapa.
And 33-year-old Brazilian forward Luciano Emilio will return to CD Olimpia in Honduras for the third time in his career, with the club announcing his acquisition via its official Twitter feed after he spent the last year playing in the Mexican second division with Toros Neza.
