Delhi Dynamos FC have signed striker Aridane Santana on loan from Spanish outfit Cultural Leonesa ahead of the Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) 2019-20 season. The 32-year-old’s addition will be a massive boost for Josep Gombau’s plans to turn the Lions into competitive squad capable of challenging for the title next season.

The Spaniard scored 10 times in 32 Segunda Division B - Grupo I league matches for his team last season. Prior to that, Santana represented Albacete Balompié in the Spanish second division for two years. He scored 20 goals for the Queso Mecánico during that period.

His first taste of senior professional football came with Spanish outfit Deportivo Fabril in 2006. He scored 38 goals for the club over a period of three years before going on to represent Real Zaragoza reserves, Universidad Las Palmas and Leganés. He later signed for Tenerife and in his second season with the club, helped them gain promotion with 25 goals in the league.

Santana moved abroad for the first time in 2015, joining Thai club Bangkok Glass FC. He scored nine times in 16 appearances for them but returned to Spain a year later, turning out for Mirandés in 2016. After scoring just three times in 12 outings, the forward made the switch to Albacete, where he rediscovered his scoring touch.

“I am really happy to be in India. The Hero Indian Super League is a very promising league and I hope to score as much as possible for my team. I have watched the team’s play last season, and I believe I will not disappoint coach Gombau and the team with my gameplay,” Santana said after putting pen to paper.

Delhi Dynamos, on their part, are looking like an impressive unit ahead of the 2019-20 season. The likes of Carlos Delgado, Xisco Hernandez, Diawandou Diagne and Martin Perez Guedes have already joined the Lions, strengthening them considerably leading into the upcoming season.

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2018-2019