Killie snap up Juve keeper and Dutch midfielder
New Kilmarnock manager Angelo Alessio has made his first signings for the club, adding two players to the Rugby Park squad. Juventus goalkeeper Laurentiu Branescu has joined on a season-long loan deal, while Dutch midfielder Mohamed El Makrini has signed a one-year contract.
Branescu, a former Romanian Under-21 international, has spent nearly his entire career with the Italian giants, joining initially in 2011 as a youth and, barring a season at Virtus Lanciano during the 2014/15 season, has been at Juve ever since. However, the 25-yearold is yet to make a first-team appearance for Juventus, and has featured on loan for Italian side Juve Stabia, Haladas in Hungary, Cypriot side Omonia, Dinamo Bucuresti of Romania, and Zalgiris of Lithuania.
Branescu, who has trained alongside veteran Italy keeper Gianluigi Buffon, said: “The move came about because I was looking for a new experience – I think this is a great move for me, the club as a whole, fits me as a player very well. I know all about how good last year was for the club, and now with Europe coming up it’s very exciting. I hope we can do as well as last year, and maybe even better.”
El Makrini, 32, started his career in his home country, initially with FC Den Bosch before a four-year spell with SC Cambuur. He moved to Denmark to join OB in 2015 but returned to the Netherlands in 2017 with Roda JC Kerkrade.
Speaking to Killie’s website, he said: “I’ve spoken with the manager, he has some ideas of how he wants me to play for the coming season. It’s now a case of getting my fitness up and being available for the team.
“I’ve never had the chance to play European football before – so this is something that’s very exciting.”