Sta Lucia banking on youth as club swoop for four Malta U-19 international players

Brazilian striker Wagner heading to Premier League club

Santa Lucia FC are continuing to bank on youth talent in this summer’s transfer window after the club secured the services of four promising players in a bid to continue to establish themselves in the Maltese top-flight.

The Saints, who are now under the guidance of first-team coach Alessandro Zinnari, have agreed terms to bring in defender Sven Xerri from Ħamrun Spartans, Matthias Ellul, from St Andrews, Adam Bradshaw, who was on the books of Balzan FC, and striker Jed Valletta, formerly of Birkirkara FC.

The acquisition of these young players solidifies the club’s intent on banking on youth talent in the next few years.

In fact, all the decisions in their technical set-up taken by president Robert Micallef and his committee are in line to bolster the club’s plans of undertaking their ambitious project of turning their facilities into a state-of-the-art Centre of Excellence that focuses on players’ development and education.

The appointment of former Malta U-19 national team technical director Alessandro Zinnari was an early sign of things to come from Santa Lucia, and the club maintained this trend with the capture of Xerri, Bradshaw and Valletta, on a loan deal, while Ellul completed a permanent transfer from Luxol St Andrews.

All these young players all formed part of the national team selection that represented Malta at the European U-19 Championship finals that were held on the island last month.

The club has also managed to bring in much-needed experience with the capture of Steve Pisani, from Gżira United.

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Santa Lucia have also managed to bring in a quality forward to their fold when they reached an agreement to sign Brazilian striker Wagner Eduardo Alves Pereira.

The 23-year-old has spent all his career in Brazil where he donned the colours of RB Brgantino, the U-23 side of Botafogo and Boa Esporte among others.

Wagner will join three other overseas players who joined the club this summer, namely Tatsuro Nagamatsu, who last season was on the books of Gudja United, ex-Pieta midfielder Ojo Temitope and Santiago Virano, who played for San Ġwann last season.