Sliema Wanderers pulled off arguably the biggest coup on transfer deadline day after signing Njongo Priso on a short-term deal.
Priso had been widely expected to join a foreign club after annulling his five-year contract with Valletta last month but the Cameroonian winger headed back to Malta last week after talks over a move to Turkish club Samsunspor broke down.
His return to Malta raised doubts over Priso’s immediate future as any local club wanting to sign him had to pay a compensation fee to Valletta.
This clause in his contract termination agreement deterred Birkirkara, who had expressed an interest in Priso, but Sliema Wanderers entered the equation over the past few days and managed to agree a deal with Valletta.
“Sliema Wanderers have helped me a lot,” Priso told Times of Malta. “The president (Keith Perry) and coach (Stephen Azzopardi) showed that they really wanted me to join their club.
“Now I’m just focusing on doing well for Sliema in the next four months and, at the end of the season, I will review my options.”
The 27-year-old, who has filed an application to obtain a Maltese passport, said his move to Samsunspor fell through due to differences between his representative and an official of the Turkish club.
“The deal didn’t go through because my manager had an issue with someone from the club,” Priso, who had already started training with Samsunspor, said.
News that Priso had rescinded his five-year contract with Valletta had taken many by surprise as the Cameroonian had been one of their marque signings in the close season.
At the time, it was presumed that Priso wanted to leave Valletta to join a foreign club but he insisted that was not the case.
“To be honest, I didn’t really want to go abroad,” Priso said.
“It was not on my mind as I had signed a five-year contract with Valletta and I wanted to be part of their new project.
“But, I had an issue with the coach (Paul Zammit). He told me a number of times that, with my wage, he could get two or three players and I felt that I was no longer wanted.”
Meanwhile, the final day of the January transfer window produced the usual flurry of last-minute deals.
Sliema Wanderers, eighth in the Premier League but still in contention to win the FA Trophy after reaching the quarter-finals, were the busiest club.
The Blues have traded Brazilian playmaker Rafael Ledesma for Nigerian midfielder Albert Bruce who was with Valletta.
Denni, Farrugia join Blues
Ledesma’s switch to Valletta reunites him with coach Paul Zammit who had signed the Brazilian when he was in charge of Birkirkara.
Sliema have moved to strengthen their attacking options with the arrival of strikers Jean Paul Farrugia, on loan, and Denni from Hibernians. The latter had reportedly joined Birkirkara in the race to sign Alex Muscat but the Sliema Wanderers captain is staying put.
The Blues have also acquired former Birkirkara striker Shola Shodiya Haruna who has changed his status to amateur.
Birkirkara yesterday completed the registration of Senegalese L’Imam Seydi who also has a French passport.
Tarxien Rainbows have added Ezequiel Rios, an attacking midfielder from Argentina, to their squad while Mosta brought in three more Nigerian players by the name of Thomas Zenke, Elvis John Johnson and Bello Vera.
Naxxar Lions yesterday deposited the registration papers of Italian goalkeeper Alberto Gallinetta, signed on loan from Serie A champions Juventus.