Mosta complete treble of signings as they look to boost salvation hopes

Mosta FC have been one of the busiest players since the start of the January transfer window as the Premier League strugglers completed three signings in the opening few days of the new year.

In fact, the Blues secured the services of former Burkina Faso international defender Dao Aziz and ex-Nigeria U-23 international Maxmillian Ugochukwu Ihekuna as well as Armenia forward Armen Hovhannisyan.

Mosta FC have struggled for results in the first part of the 2023-24 Premier League season with the team led by Joe Grech sitting fourth from bottom with 11 points and only two wins from their opening 11 games.

The Blues’ top hierarchy were desperate to strengthen their squad and have moved quickly to bring in reinforcements head of the championship restart next weekend.

Nigerian central midfielder Ihekuna is undoubtedly an interesting signing for Mosta particularly given that he is a regular member of Nigeria’s U-23 national team.

After a stint with Olympic Hybrid he moved to Moldova where he played for Codru and Sfintul where he amassed 44 appearances in the country’s top-flight.

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On his part, Aziz spent the majority of his career in Africa where he donned the colours of Salita in Burkina Faso, Accra Lions in Ghana and Guinea’s AS Kaloum.

In 2021 he moved to Belarus where he played for FK Slutsk and then for FK Smorgon.

Last year, he headed to Uzbekistan where he donned the colours of Turan Tovuz.

On the other hand, Hovhannisyan is a familiar face in Maltese football as the central midfielder is joining his third Maltese Premier League club this month.

In fact, he arrived in Malta last January when he joined Pieta Hotspurs and during this summer he agreed to join Hibernians.

With the Paola club, the Armenian struggled for first-team football this season, and last month, Hibernians had announced that they reached an agreement with the player to go separate ways.

Hovhannisyan will now look to relaunch his career with Mosta and is hopeful to make his debut this weekend when they face Balzan on Sunday.