Lion City Sailors have unveiled forward Richairo Živković as their second signing of the 2023 Singapore Premier League (SPL) mid-season transfer window.
The signing of Zivkovic will add firepower to the club’s concerted challenge for the SPL title and pursuit of improved performances at the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) top-tier club competition, the AFC Champions League (ACL).
He joins the Bishan-based side on a one-year contract, and is the second new signing after the announcement of Bailey Wright from Sunderland.
The 26-year-old Živković won the Serbian league and Cup double with Red Star Belgrade in the 2021/22 season, before returning to the Eredivisie with FC Emmen.
It was in the Dutch top tier that Živković first burst onto the scene, with FC Groningen, scoring 11 goals in 37 appearances as a 17-year-old before signing for Ajax Amsterdam in 2014.
Born in the Netherlands, Živković plays international football for Curaçao, last turning out for the Dutch Caribbean nation located some 70 km north of Venezuela in a March friendly against Lionel Messi and his FIFA World Cup champions, Argentina.
He has also turned out for the Netherlands U21.
“Richairo gives us an additional dimension to our attack with his speed and instinctive goal-scoring ability,” said Head Coach Aleksandar Ranković.
“I’m confident that he will pose big problems to opposition defences and help us get the goals we need in our push for the league title.”
In addition to turning out for Sheffield United in the English Premier League in 2020, Živković also has played in the UEFA Champions League with Ajax and Europa League experience with Red Star.
He explained why he was joining the Sailors.
“This is a project with a clear vision all the way from the Academy to the First Team, and that’s one aspect that I really like, and feel that I can get behind – it was easy for me to come to a decision once I found out what the Sailors are about,” he said.
He joins a squad already filled up with talent with players like Belgian Maxime Lestienne, former Rio Ave midfielder Diego Lopes, and Wright.
Rankovic’s mission now would be to get them to click on the field of play.
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