Former Serie A midfielder Fedele to replace Guillaumier at Ħamrun Spartans

Fedele played under Devis Mangia at Universitae Craiova

Ħamrun Spartans are set for a busy final hours of the January transfer window as the Malta champions are set to part ways with midfielder Matthew Guillaumier who is heading on loan with Serie B side Reggina.

The Times of Malta had already reported on Saturday that the Spartans were in advanced talks with Reggina to let Guillaumier join the Serie B club on loan until the end of the season.

Now, it has been confirmed that there is an agreement in place between the two clubs, with Guillaumier set to head to Italy on Monday morning to complete his transfer.

If the transfer is completed in time, Guillaumier will become the second Maltese player to be on the books of a Serie B club this season after last summer Alex Satariano agreed to join Frosinone.

Guillaumier’s departure from Ħamrun Spartans is a big blow for the Malta champions as the Malta international has been a fundamental figure in Mark Buttigieg’s squad and last season played a key role in helping the Spartans end a 30-year-wait to win the Premier League title.

The Spartans have been working hard in the final days of the transfer window to find a suitable replacement and they have agreed terms to sign Swiss midfielder Matteo Fedele.

The 29-year-old central midfielder is set to arrive in Malta on Monday to complete a deal until the end of the season.

Fedele has enjoyed a high-profile career which has seen him with some of the top sides in Switzerland, such as FC Sion, where he won the Swiss Cup in 2015, and Grasshoppers before he headed to Italian football.

In fact, in 2015 Fedele joined Carpi where he played in the Italian Serie A before he left the club the following season to move to Bari, Foggia and Cesena among others.

In 2019 he headed to Romania where he joined Universita Craiova where he played under the tutelage of Malta national teams’ head coach Devis Mangia.

In Romania, he managed to win the Romanian Cup in season 2020-21 and the Super Cup this season.