Luis Edison ‘Tarabai’ is heading back to South Korea to rejoin Seoul E-Land on loan from Hibernians.
The Brazilian striker only returned to Hibs late last year following the end of his initial loan stint with the South Korean second division club but his willingness to re-sign for Seoul E-Land meant that Tarabai’s stay with the Paolites was short-lived.
Tarabai had been widely tipped to return to Seoul E-Land after his tally of 17 goals made him one of the most prolific strikers in the 2015 K Challenge.
“Tarabai is pleased to be rejoining our club,” Martin Rennie, the Seoul E-Land manager, was quoted as saying on the club’s website.
“Tarabai gave a lot to our team last season.”
Unlike last year, when Tarabai plundered 25 goals in the Premier League to pave the way for Hibernians’ champion-ship triumph before joining Seoul E-Land in March, this time the 30-year-old striker failed to make an impact during his short stint with the Paolites.
Tarabai only made a handful of appearances for Hibernians since the start of the year, scoring only two goals.
His below-par performances prompted coach Branko Nisevic to leave Tarabai out of his starting formation for the 8-0 drubbing of Naxxar Lions and his replacement, Malta U-21 striker Jurgen Degabriele, seized his chance by scoring a hat-trick.
Last Sunday, Tarabai was not even among the substitutes for the league game against Mosta.
For a time, it looked as though Hibs were having second thoughts about sanctioning Tarabai’s loan switch to Seoul E-Land as Jorginho had been sidelined for several weeks due to injury and fellow Brazilian striker Jorge Santos Silva is expected to be out for the rest of the season after suffering a tear muscle last month.
Jorge’s injury left them short of attacking options, moreso after the champions allowed Jean Paul Farrugia and Denni to join Sliema Wanderers during the January transfer window, but Hibs eventually decided not the stand in the way of the unsettled Tarabai who had set his heart on rejoining Seoul E-Land.
The former Vittoriosa Stars hitman was due to fly out to South Korea yesterday.