PETALING JAYA: Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) midfielder Jalil Elias (pic) is returning to Argentina on a loan stint.
The 28-year-old player has joined Argentine Primera Division club Velez Sarsfield on loan for six months with a fee and option to buy from JDT.
Elias, who joined the Southern Tigers at the start of the year and came with a RM15.2mil price tag, played only one match for JDT so far this season.
He is the most expensive signing for JDT after Indonesian centreback Jordi Amat (RM3.8mil) and Argentinian winger Fernando Forestieri (RM3.3mil).
The former San Lorenzo midfielder only saw action for 69 minutes when JDT won 3-1 against Negri Sembilan in May.
Elias was brought in to complement Natxo Insa in the defensive midfield area, but became the third choice by head coach Hector Bidoglio after Insa and Nathaniel Shio Hong Wan showed consistency.
The naturalised Syrian player began his football career at Newell’s Old Boys in Santa Fe, the same academy that produced 2022 World Cup winner Lionel Messi.
For Bidoglio, besides Elias, two other players who will depart JDT on loan are Brazilian Endrick dos Santos, who will head to Vietnam and naturalised striker Fergus Tierney to Thailand.
Santos is set to join five-time V. League 1 winners Ho Chi Minh City while Tierney has joined Chonburi.
“We hope the loan stints are a fruitful one that enables Santos and Tierney to gain valuable experience that will benefit the Southern Tigers in the future,” said JDT chief executive officer Alistair Edwards.
