Deportivo Alavés was one of the first clubs to inquire about Cruz Azul's 26-year-old Mexican defensive midfielder Erik Lira, but the proposal from the LaLiga team was considered insufficient and for too short a duration. Consequently, the offer did not advance and was discarded as other options emerged for the midfielder, including interest from Monaco, Al Jazira, and Sunderland. The midfielder, who has 29 caps for Mexico, joined Cruz Azul in January 2022. His current market value is €14.00m, according to Transfermarkt. In August/September 2026, a deal with Monaco for a reported €8 million plus €3 million in variables was not completed for non-financial reasons. This followed a July 2026 report that Cruz Azul had set an asking price of €7 million.