The MLS 2017 primary transfer window is closed

May 8 was the last day of the MLS primary transfer window. There will be another one along shortly, allowing clubs to scoop up players from global soccer's annual summer transfer free-for-all, but for now teams in MLS can no longer sign players under contract in other countries (well, they can sign them, but they can't play in MLS until the transfer window opens again on July 10) or trade for players in the league already (again, they can do whatever deals they like in principle but no one moves until the window is open again).

Transfer deadline day is an exciting moment.

Don't miss a move. Keep an eye on all the day's transactions as the Primary Transfer Window closes: https://t.co/hoVYdj3V3F pic.twitter.com/CUVt1KPLmH

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 8, 2017

Or not.

Welp! That's all folks. Some possibility something announced tomorrow first thing. Otherwise, goooood night pic.twitter.com/qP6c8BhZBa

— Arielle Castillo (@ariellec) May 9, 2017

There wasn't a lot of activity.

So little, in fact, that the MLS Deadline Day tracker included news on the end of a short term loan to USL for Cristian Martinez, who is returning Columbus Crew from FC Cincinnati. MLS-to-USL loans are not affected by the close of the transfer window (otherwise half of NYRB II's regular roster would suddenly disappear, since the team relies heavily on loans from the RBNY first team squad).

Of the six news items on the MLS Deadline Day tracker, one was a confirmed player acquisition of the sort that can't happen again until the next transfer window: New England has loaned in Gershon Koffie from Hammarby. The others were that expired Columbus-to-Cincinnati loan deal, a contract termination, news that the center-back Portland has been chasing won't be arriving until later in the year, a rumored new signing for Real Salt Lake, and the possibility that Blerim Dzemaili will sneak into Montreal in this window.

Not a lot.

MLS teams would not be unique in announcing Deadline Day trades a day or two after the deadline - all they had to do today was file the paperwork - so perhaps the New York Red Bulls have a surprise announcement brewing.

But for now, it would appear RBNY let the transfer deadline pass without adding to the squad. The club can still sign out-of-contract players, but if it hasn't already found a way to use the budget relief it qualified for when Gideon Baah was put on the season-ending injury list, then that opportunity has passed.

Shutting Baah down for the season freed up a roster spot and an international player slot for RBNY, and the team still has flexibility in that regard. But "budget relief" - the option to pay a player close ($250,000 max) to Baah's salary ($230,000 base; $315,500 guaranteed: per the MLS Players Union) and keep it from counting against the salary cap - went away with the primary transfer window.