Shillong, Sep 2: Shillong Lajong FC announced yesterday that they have signed Daniel Gonçalves, a defender from Brazil.
Lajong have regained promotion to the upcoming I-League 2023-24 season and are in need of players in certain areas.
Conceding 10 goals in their first two Durand Cup matches recently was an apparent sign that they have to strengthen their defence and this is where the 27-year-old Gonçalves comes in.
On Facebook, Gonçalves, who has appeared for numerous Brazilian clubs over the course of his career, said, “Praise the name of the Lord, happy and motivated for this new challenge … let’s go after our goal”.
He is the first foreign player to be signed by Lajong since 2017-18; the following season, SLFC went with an all-domestic I-League squad and were relegated at the end of it.
Lajong has occasionally looked to Brazil for its foreign players. Uilliams Souza Silva was with the Reds for three seasons from 2013-14 to 2015-16 and scored 18 goals for the club in the I-League. His presence overlapped with Fabio Pena (2015-16 and 2016-17), who scored six I-League goals for Lajong.
(Image: Shillong Lajong FC/Facebook)
