Newly-promoted Lija Athletic continued to strengthen their squad with the signing of twenty six year old Jamaican midfielder Chevaughn Nicholas McLaren.

A product of the Phoenix Soccer Academy in Jamaica, McLaren moved to Malta in September 2016 to join Mosta. However in the January 2017 transfer window, he was loaned to Sirens. The following summer, McLaren joined St. Andrews where he also played for the Futsal team. Last January, he had joined Vittoriosa Stars.

After confirming coach Joseph Galea, Lija signed Neil Micallef, Juan Cruz Gill, Valdo Goncalves Alhinho and Miguel Antonio Perez Jimenez and confirmed Dylan Galea, McAllister Clinch, Leon Muscat, Gianluca Zammit and Erjon Beu.