Football Tribe SEA Editor
Buriram United have expressed their interest in signing Uzbekistan international defensive midfielder Akbar Ismatullaev during the upcoming transfer window, according to this report from the Bangkok Post.
The Thunder Castle, who recently parted ways with Korean midfielder Jeong Jae-Yong, are in the hunt for another player to take his place at the base of Buriram’s midfield.
The side has struggled to fill this position for a number of seasons now, arguably because they have a habit of partnering their foreign holding midfielder with the similarly defensive-minded Rattanakorn Maikami.
Their decision to go for another seemingly defense-first player, as opposed to a more creative option in midfield, raises questions as to how the side will avoid falling into the same pitfalls with their latest acquisition.
Ismatullaev played over 100 games for Uzbek side Pakhator Tashkent and has made 5 appearances for the national team. He currently captains Metallurg Bekabad, also in the Uzbekistan Super League.