"We targeted him very aggressively," said John Thorrington, the club's executive vice-president for soccer operations. "We were hoping things would get done. And everything was moving toward signing him. But as a club we always have to have other options in the event things fall through."
He chose the latter option and that already looks like one of the best decisions of Thorrington's short time with LAFC.
"Diego and us and Peñarol saw this as a deal that worked out for all parties involved," he said. "What Diego is evidence of is that we are very disciplined in our scouting and recruitment process, of knowing what we want and targeting it very aggressively.