K-League club Busan I’Park have released Brazilian striker Jonatan Reis just eleven games into the season after the former Thai League attacker made just one appearance for the side.
Jonatan Reis signed for newly promoted Busan I’Park before the start of the current season. The Brazilian forward started the last campaign with Suphanburi FC, before dropping down into T2 on a loan deal to help BG Pathum United return to the big time during the second leg.
However, after making just a single cameo appearance for the newly-promoted K-League 1 side, Busan have decided to part ways with the forward.
OFFICIAL | Busan IPark have terminated the contract of Brazilian striker Jonatan Reis. #kleague
— Korea Football News (@KORFootballNews) July 13, 2020
Reis hasn’t hit top form since 2018, when he helped PT Prachuap achieve an incredible sixth-place finish in their first-ever top-flight campaign, scoring 26 goals and providing 6 assists from 33 appearances.
Since leaving the Killer Wasps, the Brazilian has struggled to hit top form, with his move to Korea coming possibly a little too late. Seongnam faced a similar situation with their signing of Jaja Coelho last season, who scored 34 in 34 for Buriram back in 2017, only to struggle at Muangthong the following season before his move to Korea.
It’s conceivable that both Seongnam and Busan were looking to find the next Junior Negrao among their attempted Thai League signings. Ulsan’s target-man moved to Korea after a campaign with Pattaya United (on loan from Muangthong) and has been one of the K-League’s most consistent attacking threats over the past few campaigns.
Negrao currently leads the way in the top scorer’s list with an incredible 14 goals in 11 appearances and looks on course to secure the golden boot which he narrowly missed out on last season. For the time being, it seems like no other former Thai League striker will be able to match his incredible tally.