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Sharjah FC hope for a bright season with new players

A new season brings with it new hope, a hope that things will go their way. The ambition remains the same - to win silverware and Sharjah FC believe they have the men who can finally end a long-standing drought and return the storied club to where they belong - at the top.
Sharjah FC, one of the biggest clubs in the UAE and known as 'The King' have been quite busy in the transfer market making a flurry of signings. They have made five signings - both foreign and local - before they embark on a pre-season training camp overseas, under coach and former player Abdulaziz Al Anbari. Their new acquisitions were officially unveiled at a press conference at the club's headquarters in Al Hazana on Tuesday evening.
Sharjah FC have signed Brazilian Igor Coronado and the midfielder joins from Italian Serie B side Palermo. The 25-year-old signed a four-year contract and although the fee was not disclosed, transfermarkt website pegged his market value to be 2.16 million pounds with the fee being 5.40 million pounds.
Coronado graduated from academy of English club Milton Keynes Dons in 2011 after a four-year stint. He then joined the reserve team of Swiss club Grasshoppers before making his senior debut with English club Banbury United. Coronado then played for Maltese club Floriana, where he made 63 appearances from 2012 to 2016. In between that, he spent a season on loan with Serie B club Trapani before making a permanent move. Following a full season with Trapani, where he made 34 appearances, Coronado joined Palermo.
Coronado said he felt welcome at Sharjah and felt it was important to take it step by step if they are to win silverware.  
"My ambition is to do my best here," Coronado said at the press conference.
"Obviously, my ambitions has to be the same as of the club. I've only been a here a few days and haven't had the chance to meet all of the players, my new teammates here. I only met a few. But I met all of the staff and I already feel at home, especially, because there are a few Brazilian people here. That makes me very happy. It helps me a lot, obviously, by speaking the language as well. It makes me comfortable. I met the coach. Everyone spoke very well about him, very good coach, very good person. So, first impression for me, I'm very happy to be here. It is not easy change countries, to change a team. It is not always a good feeling at the start but this is the first time I feel something different. I feel very comfortable here with the people. People they treat me very well here since I arrived. To talk about the League, I feel it is too early. I believe we have to take it step by step, game by game. For me, it is important that all the players and the staff work together. We have an important ambition but we have to be humble and work very hard.  And we have to enjoy ourselves and I'm sure we can do something," he added.
Meanwhile, Sharjah FC have also signed Cape Verde winger Ryan Mendes from Turkish club Kayserispor. The 28-year-old Mendes, who played most of his club football in France with Le Havre and Lille, apart from a loan spell with English club Nottingham Forest, joins on a three-year contract.
Coronado and Mendes complete Sharjah FC foreign quartet. Sharjah FC have Brazilian striker Welliton Soares and Uzbekistan midfielder Otabek Shukurov on their books. Soares had joined last summer, while Shukurov arrived during the winter transfer window.
Meanwhile, Al Sharjah have also bolstered their local talent by signing veteran Mohammed Al Shehhi from Al Wahda, Fawzi Fayez from Al Ain and Mohammed Al Dhahri from Al Wahda.
Sharjah's last League title came in the 1995-96 season with their last piece of silverware being the President's Cup in 2002-03. They finished sixth in the Arabian Gulf League last term.
james@khaleejtimes.com