Valencia fills foreign player spots post trial fails

Two Nigerian players who paid at their own expense to try out for Valencia's trial failed to pass. This saw the football team fill the two remaining foreign player spots with other players.

Each club must have four foreign football players in its squad this season. One of the players must be from an Asian country. Kyrgyzstan football player Davranbek Abduvakhapov is the player Valencia chose to bring.

The other three slots were filled by a Spanish forward, Moldovan goalkeeper and an Egyptian defender.

The two Nigerian players that came to try out for Valencia's trial had deceived the club, with the issue coming to light soon after.

Foreign players and their agents who pay at their own expense come for Maldivian club tryouts under the agreement that their travel expenses will be reimbursed, as long as they pass the trial. 

Valencia had stated that they had made all arrangements for the Nigerian players to travel back home as they weren't up to par. However, the players were reported to have fled after stating that they were at the airport, with the issue being raised to Immigration.

One of the players got a job on an island and was working as a crew mate on a boat that travels to Male' as was reported by Aslu TV.

Valencia was subject to a FIFA transfer ban during the latest season. This was due to them failing to pay the salary of one of their players, Spaniard Borjas Martín. Valencia's current leadership settled the issue with a transaction of MVR 1 million via FIFA to Borjas.

This season sees Valencia squad being on the younger side this time around as well, with many of them being young enough to attend school. Some of the more valuable players that are playing for Maldives at the Under-17 SAFF Championship in Sri Lanka also play for Valencia's senior team.

Valencia's first game of the Dhivehi Premier League will see them play against Green Streets tomorrow night.