In their bid to retain their Premier League status, Gudja United strengthened their squad with the signing of Edison Bilbao Zarate and Nivaldo Rodrigues Ferreira.

Thirty-two year old Edison Bilbao Zarate returns to Malta after a short spell with Santiago Morning in his native Chile.

After turning out for Jersey Express, New Jersey Ironmen in the USA, Bilbao Zarate moved to Portugal where he played for Cultural de Montalegre, Murca SC and Mondinense. He joined Ramonense in Costa Rica. In summer 2012, he joined Qormi where he spent one year before moving to New York Cosmos. However in January 20164, he moved back to Malta to join Balzan. After two years with the club, he moved to Birkirkara mid-way through season 2015/16. In summer 2016, Bilbao Zarate signed for Ghajnsielem. He had a five-month spell with Mosta in 2017/18 but moved to Gzira United in the January transfer window. He spent eighteen months with the Maroons.

Thirty-one year old Nivaldo played for Braunas and Alecrim in Brasil, Atyrau in Kazakhstan, Sibir Novosibirsk, Luch Vladivostok and Enisey Krasnoyarsk in Russia, Gomel and Dynamo Brest in Belarus and following a short spell on loan with Lokomotiv Tashkent in Uzbekistan, played once again for Dynamo Brest and Gomel.