PETALING JAYA: Last year’s Golden Boot winner Dramane Traore is set to become a Red Warrior.
The 33-year-old Malian hotshot, who scored 20 goals for Police last season, will be a huge boost for Kelantan as the east coast side seek to end their two-year title drought in the M-League.
Kelantan coach K. Devan admitted that expectations will be high as the Kelantan Football Association (KAFA) had recently signed an RM8mil sponsorship tie-up with Vida Beauty Sdn Bhd.
“We have identified the foreign players we want for this season. They will undergo medical tests before we announce their names. Once we’ve settled this, we will proceed with our pre-season training abroad,” said Devan from Kota Baru on Wednesday.
Besides Traore, the other two attacking players are from Brazil and Argentina, while Australian defender Jonathan McKain has been retained from last season.
KAFA are expected to announce their M-League squad at a sponsorship signing ceremony in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.
Kelantan are expected to make a strong claim for honours this season as the 2012 M-League treble winners have secured the services of Terengganu striker Abdul Manaf Mamat and former players Indra Putra Mahayuddin and Daudsu Jamaluddin.
Those from the 2012 squad still with the team are skipper Khairul Fahmi Che Mat, Mohd Shahrizan Ismail (goalkeepers); Mohd Farisham Ismail, Nik Shahrul Azim, Zairul Fitree Ishak, Muhd Faim Zainal Abidin, Daudsu Jamaluddin (defenders); Mohd Badhri Radzi, Mohd Khairul Izuan Rosli (midfielders), Mohd Norfarhan Mohd and Indra (strikers).
Last year, Kelantan finished as FA Cup runners-up after losing to Lions XII 3-1 in the final.
They also finished a dismal ninth in the Super League and failed to get past the group stage in the Malaysia Cup competition.
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