Former Ħamrun Spartans midfielder Elionay completes permanent move to South Korea’s Seongnam FC

Malta champions linked with Perugia midfielder

South Korean side Seongnam FC have announced the permanent signing of Brazilian midfielder Elionay Freitas from Maltese side Ħamrun Spartans.

The 28-year-old midfielder had been on the books of the South Korean K-League 2 club since the end of last June, after he had agreed to head to Eastern Asia after a highly-successful two-year spell at the Spartans.

During his time with the Maltese side, Elionay helped the team to two league titles and two Super Cup medals.

However, Freitas decided to leave the club at the end of the 2024-25 season and pursue his career in South Korea with Seongnam FC.

The combative midfielder was a mainstay in Seongnam FC as he managed to collect 20 appearances and score four goals.

His performances convinced Seongnam FC’s top officials to make Elionay’s move permanent and pay a transfer fee to the Malta champions to complete the deal.

For the Spartans, the money earned from Elionay’s move is beneficial as they are currently scouring the market to continue to scour the market to try and bolster their squad ahead of the second part of the season.

Ħamrun are coming from an historical first part of the 2025-26 campaign, which has seen the team become the first Maltese side to reach the League Phase of a UEFA club competition when reaching the proper phase of the UEFA Conference League.

Now, the club’s top hierarchy have set their sights on making everything in their power to help the team retain their Premier League title for a fourth successive season.

The Spartans have already completed their first piece of business this month when bringing in Colombian striker Damir Ceter.

Read also: https://sport.timesofmalta.com/2025/12/19/ex-cagliari-chievo-verona-forward-damir-ceter-joins-hamrun-spartans/

However, the Spartans are determined to bring in more reinforcements and they are looking to bolster their squad with the arrival of two midfielders.

On Tuesday, reports in Italy had linked the Spartans with Perugia midfielder Jeremie Broh.

Sources close to the Italian club have told The Times of Malta that any potential striker is still at a very early stage, as they have been informed by Spartans of their interest in the player so far.

Any deal for the player is likely to be discussed in the coming days, and the player has yet to decide on whether he wants to continue the season in Malta.

On the other hand, Ħamrun Spartans need to part ways with some players if they are to bring more reinforcements to their squad.

Ħamrun Spartans will continue their 2025-26 season when they face Victoria Hotspurs in the FA Trophy on January 3 before taking on rivals Floriana in a pivotal Malta Premier League clash three days later.