With the start of the winter transfer window only a week away, several BOV Premier League clubs have intensified their efforts to reinforce their squads in mid-term.
With his team rooted to the bottom of the standings with nine points from 16 games, Żebbuġ Rangers coach Alfonso Greco has sanctioned an overhaul of his squad in January.
Żebbuġ, who face leaders Hibernians next Sunday, have already offloaded four foreigners, namely goalkeeper Fabrizio Morales Rapchan, Serbians Bojan Mamic and Ratko Mandic and Mexican defender Luis Pena.
Rapchan’s exit may come as a surprise to some as he has, by and large, left a good impression but Greco decided to let go of the Brazilian shot-stopper to release a spot for another outfield foreign player.
Rangers have already secured a re-placement for Rapchan after reaching agreement with Valletta to sign Manuel Bartolo on loan until the end of the season.
Paltemio Barbetti is also hoping to reunite with Greco at Żebbuġ. Barbetti has been a target for the Italian coach since reports emerged that the midfielder has fallen out of favour at Sliema Wanderers.
Late last month, Barbetti was suspended for 28 days by Sliema for disciplinary reasons.
Young midfielder Kurt Zammit, who was on the books of Mosta, is also expected to join Żebbuġ in the coming days. Rangers have also moved to strengthen their forward line with the signing of an English striker who had a four-year stint with AFC Wimbledon.
Pietà Hotspurs, second bottom, are also looking to bolster their attack after releasing Brazilian Rafael Xavier Zacharias.
Pietà are in talks with two forwards, one from Brazil and the other from Argentina, but they are also mulling the possibility of re-signing Ricardo Costa who is also attracting interest from Tarxien, his first Maltese club.
Meanwhile, Nikola Tasic has left Pietà by mutual agreement as the midfielder had to return to Serbia for family reasons.
Another player who is likely to leave the Hotspurs during the January transfer window is Terence Agius. The Malta U-21 midfielder is a target for Balzan and talks over his transfer are at an advanced stage.
Away from the transfer dealings, Pietà are hoping to have the six-month ban imposed on coach Noel Coleiro overturned or reduced by the Malta FA Appeals Board.
Coleiro received the hefty suspension following an altercation with Floriana winger Steve Pisani at the end of their Premier League match earlier this month. His appeal will be heard this evening.
After landing the first significant blow in the transfer market with the capture of striker Bojan Kaljevic from Mosta, Balzan are now expected to step up their pursuit of Rowen Muscat who has annulled his contract with Hungarian side Dunaujvaros.
Tarxien are giving trials to a host of foreign players after parting ways with Brazilians Wesley Pipico, Alvaro, Clebinho and Jorge.
Jorge has joined Naxxar Lions.
Tarxien, third from bottom on 17 points, are also in talks with three former players who are willing to rejoin the club.
Apart from Ricardo Costa, Tarxien coach Clive Mizzi is also weighing up the possibility of signing Danilo, who had a short spell for Tarxien in 2012/13, and Andrezinho, who played for the club last year.