Sliema-bound Failla nets May award

Clayton Failla has good reason to be cheerful. The young wing-back was yesterday named BOV Player of the Month for May, the last month of the 2008-09 season, and has reportedly finalised a deal to move to Sliema Wanderers from Hibernians.

Failla has completed a hat-trick of individual prizes after winning the BOV monthly award in August and October last year. The former St Patrick player is also a leading contender for the Malta FA player of the year award.

His dynamic performances last season helped Hibs to win the title but for months, Failla has been linked with a switch to Premier League rivals Sliema. As Failla's contract with Hibs expired at the end of last month, the Malta international was free to consider offers from suitors.

It appears that Sliema were the first club to hold talks with Failla and the two parties are believed to have come to an agreement. Failla's Hibs team-mates had hoped that their title triumph would persuade Failla to change his mind but the 23-year-old stuck with his plans to change club.

The U*Bet FA Trophy winners yesterday notified the media that they would be presenting their first close-season signing during a news conference at the club this evening but stopped short of revealing the name of the player.

Well-placed sources have told The Times that Sliema, whose spending power in the transfer market has been bolstered by the early renewal of their sponsorship deal with Robert Arrigo and Sons, will unveil Failla this evening.

Club president Steve Abela told The Times earlier this month that Sliema planned to sign between five to seven players this summer.

As the start of a new season edges closer, the Blues, who have confirmed Stephen Azzopardi as their coach for the next two seasons, have increased their efforts to conclude negotiations with their transfer targets and their respective clubs.

In the last few days, Sliema and Valletta reached a verbal agreement over the transfer of Josef Mifsud. The former Malta defender was keen to move away from Valletta after falling behind Luke Dimech and Kenneth Scicluna in the pecking order.

Sliema are also expected to sign Birkirkara striker Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza, who is out of contract, and are hopeful of striking a deal with Ħamrun Spartans for midfielder Ryan Fenech.

It is believed that the Wanderers have also declared an interest in Ħamrun's Dutch forward Sylvano Comvalius.

For their part, Valletta yesterday began their pre-season under new Dutch coach Ton Caanen. Former Barcelona and Manchester United winger Jordi Cruyff was among the players who reported for the first training session at the club's Salinos Grounds along with two Dutch forwards, Sendley Bito and Leon Kantelberg, who landed in Malta on Sunday.

Also on Sunday, the Citizens held their annual general meeting during which the club's top officials, namely president Victor Sciriha, general secretary Joe Attard and treasurer Michael Palmier were confirmed in their respective posts.

No elections were held and the members attending the general meeting approved an amendment to the club's statute to increase the number of committee members to 13. Giovanni Cappitta and Ottavio Suda were automatically elected to the new committee.

In his address, Sciriha stunned those present when revealing that an avid Valletta fan who died recently had left around €23,000 to the club in his will.

The City supporters are renowned for their passion for the football team and the news that the club had inherited money from a fan went down well with the members who attended Sunday's general meeting.