Kelantan add imports Chadrack, Viana to beef up squad
PETALING JAYA: The Golden Deer continue to sharpen their antlers with the inclusion of two more import players in the attacking department ahead of the Super League season starting next month.
After Kelantan announced the arrival of Guinea-bissau striker Valdumar Augusto Te earlier this week, the team have also brought in Muzungu Chadrack from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Bolivian David Viana.
The 26-year-old Chadrack is a versatile player who can play on both wings as well as double as the second attacker and has been called up four times for his national team duties, with the last fixture he played for the country coming in September 2022 against Sierra Leone.
Chadrack’s footballing career has seen him play in Spain, France, and Morocco, where he joined RS Berkane in 2021 and has gone on to score 15 goals and 10
assists in 47 games while winning the top-flight Moroccan League twice.
Meanwhile, Viana, who is only 23 years old, has only played for one club before his new stint in Kelantan.
After making 64 appearances
with Bolivia’s Royal Pari squad, Viana has been brought into Kelantan for his excellent short passes and crosses into the attacking third during counter-attacks.
Viana’s speed was also another factor the coaching staff believed would be a good fit as the youngster could assist the midfield while dropping down to the defensive line if needed.
However, even without fielding the two new signings, Kelantan fared well against Thai League 3 club Pattani in their pre-season friendly as they won 3-0 at the Sultan Muhammad IV Stadium in Kota Baru on Wednesday.
Three goals from Asraff Aliffuddin Yasin, South Korean Kim Ri-gwan, and Amirul Shafik gave Kelantan the boost in confidence they needed as they look to improve on their 12th-place finish in the Super League last season.
Kelantan assistant coach Rezal Zambery Yahya did field Te in the match, but the 26-year-old’s shots failed to find the back of the net despite several attempts.
The arrival of the new signings means Kelantan have completed their list of incoming import players, and will now gear up their squad for the season opener against Pahang on May 11.