Hamrun Spartans strengthen squad with new foreigners

Champions Hamrun Spartans started to strengthen their squad ahead of the coming season with the signing of a number of foreign players, namely Yuliyan Nenov, Karlo Bilic, Nemanja Krstic, Seth Paintsil and Elionay Freitas together with veteran defender Joseph Zerafa.

Twenty-eight year old Bulgarian winger Yuliyan Nenov is a product of CSKA Sofia. He played for Chavdar, Botev Vratsa, Montana 1921, Lokomotiv Gorna Oryahovitsa and Dunav Ruse in Bulgaria. He had a short spell with Difaâ El Jadida in Morocco before returning to Bulgaria to play for Beroe Stara Zagora, Dunav Ruse and Botev Vratsa. Last summer, he joined Sutjetska Niksic but a few weeks later, moved to Lokomotiv Sofia.

Twenty nine year old Croatian central defender Karlo Bilic played for NK Dugopolje, NK Orkan Dugi Rat and HNK Sibenik in Croatia, Slavija Sarajevo in Bosnia Herzegovina, VSS Kosice and FK Zelezarne Podbrezova in Slovakia, joining FC Koper in Slovania last January.

Twenty eight year old Serbian defensive midfielder Nemanja Krstic started his career at FK Vojvodina and later played for FK Indjija, FK Napredak Krusevac, FK Kolubara Lazarevac, FK Loznica, FK Macva Sabac, FK Borac 1926 Cacak, FK Metalac Gornji Milanovac, OFK Backa and FK Zlatibor Cajetina before returning to Napredak.

Twenty-seven Ghanian winger Seth Paintsil played for Red Bull Ghana and Brong Ahafo United in Ghana before moving to Europe where he played for FF Jaro in Finland, Admira Wacker, SV Ried and TSV Hartberg in Austria.

Twenty six year old Brazilian defensive midfielder Elionay Freitas da Silva, better known as Elionay, joins the Spartans after playing for Doce Mel, EC Vitoria, Joinville, Linense and Betim in Brazil

Thirty-five year old Joseph Zerafa joins the Spartans after spending the last six months at Hibernians.

Zerafa played for Mgarr United and the Paola Hibs nursery before moving to Birkirkara where he made his Premier League debut in season 2005/06. After winning three championships with the club, he decided to try his luck abroad in summer 2014 and moved to England where he had spells with Coggeshall Town, Grays Athletic and Welling United but moved back to Malta in February 2015, re-joining Birkirkara. In summer 2017, he moved to Valletta where he spent four-and-a-half years before moving to Hibernians.