Ceres signs Spanish goalkeeper

CERES Negros FC continues to bolster its lineup by signing veteran Spanish goalkeeper Toni Doblas in the ongoing Philippines Football League ( PFL) transfer window.

Prior to the Yellow Busmen’s signing of Doblas, a rumor circulated on the latter’s transfer from Spanish Segunda Division B club San Fernando CD to domestic league champion Ceres Negros.

The 37- year old goalkeeper came to the Visayan powerhouse club carrying a vast experience, which included stints in the Spanish La Liga and the Italian Serie A.

Doblas starred as the firstchoice goalkeeper of Real Betis from 2004 to 2007, winning the Copa del Rey in 2005. He also aided SSC Napoli in capturing the Coppa Italia as a thirdchoice goalie in 2014.

The 6- foot- 3 Doblas also had brief stints with FK Khazar Lankaran in Azerbaijan, HJK Helsinki in Finland and Delhi Dynamos FC in India.

Doblas is expected to fill the void left by former Azkals goalkeeper Roland Muller as the Busmen start the season on January 16 when they battle Shan United FC of Myanmar in the preliminary round of the Asian Football Confederation Champions League.

Meanwhile, Global Cebu FC lost another key player in national team defender Amani Aguinaldo, who is reportedly set to join Ceres.

Aguinaldo began his career in the People’s Club in 2014, helping the squad seize the 2014 and 2016 titles in the former top flight United Football League.

Azkals stalwarts Hikaru Minegishi and Misagh Bahadoran earlier left the Cebu- based club for Thai League 1 team Pattaya United FC and Liga Super Malaysia side Perak The Bos Gaurus FC, respectively.