Monaco complete deal for former Chinese Super League player Love
Xinhua, January 14, 2016 Adjust font size:
French Ligue 1 club Monaco have confirmed Wednesday that they completed a deal for Brazilian striker Vanger Love, signing the former player of Chinese Super League side Shandong Luneng on an 18-month contract.
The French side took to Twitter and its website to announce that Love has signed a deal until next summer.
"Arriving from Corinthians, with whom he won the 2015 Brazilian Serie A title last month, the Brazil international (20 caps) has also made over 80 appearances in European competition (Champions League and UEFA Cup) with CSKA Moscow, winning the UEFA Cup in 2005," read the official statement of the club.
"The 31-year-old striker is now set for his first taste of Ligue 1 with AS Monaco, where he has been handed the No. 9 shirt."
Love, who stayed with Luneng from July 2013 to Feberuary 2015, spent most of his career alternating between playing in his home nation and with CSKA Moscow in the Russian Premier League. He will be presented as an Monaco player on Thursday evening at the club's official store.
"I'm very happy and very proud to be joining this great club, AS Monaco. Hopefully I can bring all my experience to the team, to achieve the targets set by the management," he said.
The one time UEFA-Cup top scorer, which acheived in 2009 with CSKA Moscow, netted 14 goals in 31 league outings for Corinthians in the Brazilian Serie A last season.
"Vagner Love is a striker who has shown all his value in his European career and more recently with Corinthians," commented Monaco club vice president Vadim Vasilyev.
"We have had problems scoring goals since the start of the season, and we are convinced Vagner Love can provide us with all his quality in that department. He was very motivated to join us, which bodes well for AS Monaco meeting its targets for the second half of the season." Endit