Midfielder Rowen Muscat has given Birkirkara a further boost after pledging his future to the Premier League club.
The Stripes, on a high after their excellent showings in the Europa League games against West Ham United, were facing up to the prospect of losing one of their star players before the start of the 2015/16 league campaign after Muscat received an offer to join Aris Limassol in Cyprus.
The Malta international, who last season had an uneventful spell with Hungarian club Dunaujvaros, seriously considered Aris Limassol’s proposal as he had a clause in his contract allowing him to join a foreign club for free until the end of this month.
Although Muscat has made no secret of his ambition to continue his career abroad, he has decided to stick with the Stripes after agreeing a new four-year contract yesterday.
Birkirkara’s efforts to reinforce their technical set-up in the close season allied with their European exploits under new coach Giovanni Tedesco, are believed to have played a big part in Muscat’s decision to reject Aris Limassol’s approach.
The 24-year-old made up his mind to stay with Birkirkara following talks with club president Adrian Delia.
Elsewhere, Hibernians’ wing-back Clayton Failla came on as a second-half substitute in Hull City’s goalless draw against Hannover in a friendly match on Sunday.
Failla replaced Dame N’Doye after 63 minutes.
The Malta international, who has also been linked with a move to Italian Lega Pro side Pavia,is having a trial with the English Championship club, currently on a pre-season tour to Austria.
Failla is expected to keep training with Hull, under the charge of manager Steve Bruce, until Thursday.
Floriana signings
Floriana have moved to strengthen their forward line with the addition of two new foreign strikers.
Argentine-born Mauricio Ezequiel Villa and Italian Mario Fontanella are set to lead Floriana’s forward line after both impressed new coach Luis Oliveira since joining the Greens earlier this month.
Villa, who turns 30 in August, hit a brace in Floriana’s 3-2 win over St Andrew’s in a friendly match on Sunday while Fontanella, 26, got the other goal.
The two strikers know each other well as they were on the books of Serie D club Budoni last season.
Tarxien Rainbows have completed the signing of two new foreigners to take their number of overseas players for the new season to six so far.
Luis Diego Cordero is poised to become the first Costa Rican player to appear in the Maltese Premier League after agreeing terms with the Rainbows.
Cordero, 27, has represented his country at the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship and also has one appearance for the senior Costa Rica team.
Last week, Tarxien, this season under the guidance of Jacques Scerri, also welcomed Brazilian attacking midfielder Joao Pedro.
The 22-year-old, who came through the ranks of Flamengo, is the fourth Brazilian player in Scerri’s squad along with defenders Bruno Massimo and Bruno Oliveira, and forward Danilo who had a six-month spell with the Rainbows in season 2012/13.
Spanish midfielder Carlos Menendez Hevia has been retained from last season.