Christian Caruana (right) has agreed a move to Valletta. Photo: Matthew MirabelliChristian Caruana (right) has agreed a move to Valletta. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Christian Caruana has left Floriana to join rivals Valletta after agreeing a one-year deal with the champions.

News of Caruana’s move caused a few eyebrows to be raised as it’s somewhat unusual for a Maltese player to cross the divide between the two neighbouring clubs.

Having spent almost his entire career with Floriana, Caruana has now opted to seek a new challenge after his contract expired at the end of last season.

Caruana was a free agent as he had negotiated his release from Floriana last summer before signing a one-year contract with the club.

Naxxar Lions had been in pole position to land Caruana but the 27-year-old had a change of heart after Valletta declared their interest.

It is believed that Gilbert Agius, the Valletta coach, thinks highly of Caruana and he played a key role in persuading him to join City.

Agius is keen to augment his pool of Maltese players and Caruana’s arrival increases his attacking options.

The City coach will also have been delighted with the news that midfielder Hamza Barry is set to rejoin them after his proposed move to Tunisian side Esperance fell through.

Barry, who turns 20 in October, has been away from the country for several weeks amid reports that he was training with Esperance after the latter had reached an agreement with Valletta over his transfer.

Victor Sciriha, the Valletta president, told a news conference earlier this month that Barry was on the verge of completing his move to Esperance but reports surfaced last week that the transfer has been called off.

Barry has another year left on his deal with Valletta and his agent, Juan G. Aguilar, has confirmed that the midfielder intends to see out his contract.

Last month, Aguilar told Times of Malta that Spanish club Getafe had shown an interest in taking Barry on loan for one season with an option to acquire the player outright next summer.

Elsewhere, Floriana are expected to offer a contract to Vito Plut.

The 26-year-old Slovenian striker has left a good impression after featuring for the Greens in The Convenience Shop Malta Summer Cup.

Plut, who represented Slovenia at Under-21 level, played for German club FC Saarbrücken last season.

Birkirkara have intensified their search for a foreign striker to replace Nigerian Shola Shodiya Haruna who has fallen out of favour with the Stripes.

Birkirkara are also looking to bring in an experienced goalkeeper to provide competition for Justin Haber who is currently recovering from injury.

They have entered the race to sign Henry Bonello who is sure to leave Sliema Wanderers before the start of the new season.

The Wanderers have all but agreed terms with Hibernians to exchange Bonello with Daniel Balzan on loan for one season but the deal is yet to be concluded as the former is still weighing up his options.

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