Nomadic Brazilian signs with Hapoel TA
Former Brazil international Fabio Junior signed for Hapoel Tel Aviv on Friday in the biggest transfer coup of the summer in Israeli soccer.
Former Brazil international Fabio Junior signed for Hapoel Tel Aviv on Friday in the biggest transfer coup of the summer in Israeli soccer.
The 29-year-old Junior, who made 15 appearances for the Brazil national team, scoring eight goals, signed a two-year contract with Hapoel after being out of contract at German Bundesliga side Bochum.
Junior, who will join his new teammates in training this week, will be one of three Brazilians at Hapoel's training ground.
Robson Vicente Gonçalves, who is better known by the name Abedi, joined the club from Vasco da Gama earlier in the summer, with defender Gabriel dos Santos signing from Palmeiras.
Junior, who made most of his international appearances at the turn of the century, spent the first six years of his career in the Brazilian league, mainly with top side Cruzeiro.
Italian giants Roma paid a stunning $18 million to bring him to the Italian capital in 1999, but the Serie A side quickly regretted forking out so much money.
After a single season at the club Junior returned to Brazil, where he would remain until 2003.
During his time in Brazil Junior was also banned for a year after becoming embroiled in a passport scandal while in Italy.
The Italian authorities charged him with allegedly using false documents to get around league limits on foreign players.
In 2003 he moved to Vitoria Guimaraes in Portugal, but once more he failed to settle in Europe.
A year later and after a short stint in Brazilian club Atlético Mineiro he joined the Japanese J-League, playing for the Kashima Antlers.
After spending a few lucrative months at Al-Wahda in the United Arab Emirates, Junior signed for Bochum in January 2006, but scored just three goals in 31 appearances at the club last season.
