Gian Chansrichawla
Football Tribe SEA Editor
After returning to the top of the table, Buriram United prepare to strengthen in the mid-season transfer window to retain their place and improve their chances in the fight for their third consecutive Thai League title.
The side has struggled since losing Brazilian forwards Diogo Luis Santo to JDT and Osvaldo to Fortaleza, and have arguably failed to sufficiently replace them in the pre-season transfer window. Pedro Junior, who arrived in what was effectively a swap deal for Osvaldo, has done well but struggled to carry the weight and fill the void left by both attacking talents.
Buriram thought they had solved this issue when they agreed a deal for striker Bruno Mezenga from Sao Caetano in Brazil. However, despite already announcing their new signing, the club and the player could not reach agreeable personal terms, causing the deal to fall through, as per this report from Goal Thailand.
However, they have been able to give their fans some positive news, by sealing a deal for Philippines international Kevin Ingreso. The Ceres-Negros man is highly versatile, capable of playing as a defensive midfielder on in either full-back position. Born in Germany, the 26-year-old has experience in both the country of his birth and the country of his heritage. To date, he has made 28 appearances for the Filipino national team, making a significant impression at both the 2018 AFF Cup and 2019 AFC Asian Cup.
It remains to be seen which player will move on take way for Ingreso at the Thunder Castle. His countrymen Javier Patino and Stephan Palla are already at the club, as well as Vietnamese creative midfielder Luong Xuan Trong.
For their final foreign player slot, the side has been linked to a few moves so far. Reports have claimed that the club has been chasing Nacer Barazite from UAE club Al Jazira. Another potential target for them is Paulo Henrique from Turkish side Akhisar Belediyespor. However, at this moment, the club are yet to confirm a deal to fill their final foreign quota slot.