The wait is finally over for Persib Bandung fans. The club unveiled their new signing, former Chonburi FC and Persikabo 1973 striker Ciro Alves, on Wednesday, with the Brazilian being tied down on a long-term 2-year contract with an optional year to extend. Ciro is expected to be paired up with fellow Brazilian striker David da Silva to lead the Maung Bandung‘s attack in the 2022/23 season, a prospect that would leave Persib fans salivating in anticipation.
Despite finishing 2nd in the 2021/22 Liga 1 Indonesia season, Persib’s strikers did not live up to their lofty expectations. Both Wander Luiz and Geoffrey Castillion failed to impress in the first half of the season, while Bruno Cantanhede failed to bring his productivity in the V.League 1 to Indonesian soil in the season’s second half. David, on the other hand, managed to score seven goals in 15 outings, but he had to endure a somewhat slow start to his Maung Bandung tenure.
Ciro, on the other hand, is a proven goalscorer in the Liga 1. Ever since leaving Chonburi for Persikabo 1973 back in 2019, the 32-year-old has scored 35 goals from 67 league games, establishing himself as an integral part of the Laskar Padjadjaran squad.
Last season alone, Ciro scored 20 goals, finishing as runners-up behind Bali United’s Ilija Spasojevic in the top scorer’s chart. The Brazilian also scored three hat-tricks, with two of them coming against Persiraja Banda Aceh and one against Persela Lamongan.
It was this tenacity in front of goal as well as his wealth of experience in Indonesian football that enticed Persib to line up for Ciro’s signature, especially after it was announced that he won’t be extending his stay with Persikabo 1973 at the conclusion of last season.
With many Persib fans expecting the club to announce Ciro’s signing sooner than later, both Persib and Persikabo 1973 kept their negotiations under wraps until one of the worst-kept secrets in Indonesian football was revealed on Wednesday. Persikabo 1973 finally posted a formal announcement of Ciro’s departure on their Instagram, before 25 minutes afterwards Persib posted a welcome video for Ciro in their own Instagram page.
With the signing now made official, Ciro became Persib’s third new arrival in the off-season, following the signings of Persebaya Surabaya duo Rachmat Irianto and Ricky Kambuaya earlier this month.