PETALING JAYA: After being mesmerised by a Colombian last season, Selangor are looking to add more spice by signing a Chilean for the new season.
The Red Giants have announced their replacement for Colombian hitman Ayron Del Valley by securing the services of former Chilean international Ronnie Fernandez (pic).
The 33-year-old was signed from Bolivian club Bolivar, where he scored 18 goals in 26 games, helping them to finish second in the Bolivian top division.
In his home nation, he played for Santiago Wanderers from 2019 to 2016, before moving to Saudi Arabia to play for Al-Fayha in 2017.
From 2020 to 2022, he played for sides like Universidad de Chile and Al-Raed before moving to Bolivar last year.
Del Valle was the Golden Boot winner in the Super League last year but decided to move on as he prefers to continue his career in South America.
Hunting for a replacement proved to be a tough task as the Selangor coaching team scouted for top talents in South America and Europe.
But Fernandez seems to fit the bill thanks to his goalscoring performances over the years.
In his first season with Al-Fayha, he was named the Saudi Pro League Top Scorer with 13 goals. In total, he managed to contribute 25 goals in 59 matches for the club.
Scoring goals in Saudi Arabia bodes well for Fernandez as he is expected to play a key role in the club’s debut season in the AFC Champions League Two.
“This is my first time coming to South-East Asia. I am very excited to be a part of Selangor. It’s a big club with a great history and the fans who always support the team,” said Fernandez.
“I will give my best to help the team in having the best season for 2024/2025 in the Malaysian League and ACL 2.”
Selangor coach Tan Cheng Hoe hopes that Fernandez’s advantage in scoring goals will strengthen the team’s attack line for this season.
“Ronnie is very capable of scoring goals, especially in the inside of the box. He has experience playing in several countries as a ‘target man’ in his career, and this will help add strength to the team.
“I hope that Ronnie will quickly adapt himself to the other players and solve the problems of attack last season.”
