Spanish club edges closer to Lucas Ribeiro signing

Spanish second division outfit CYD Leonesa are edging closer to completing the signing of Lucas Ribeiro Costa from Mamelodi Sundowns.

The 26-year-old Brazilian talisman took to social media to confirm his exit at the reigning Betway Premiership champions on Monday.

This comes after Ribeiro requested to terminate his contract at Chloorkop, taking his case to the FIFA Football Tribunal after a stellar showing at the FIFA Club World Cup.

He attracted the interest of Qatari outfit Qatar SC, Fluminense and Cruzeiro in his homeland, while Trabzonspor were reportedly keen to lure him to Turkey.

However, no move materialized, prompting the player to seek a departure through the Diarra law, with Downs said to have priced him out of a transfer.

Now, it’s the Spanish second tier club that has emerged as frontrunners to land Ribeiro’s signature according to reports in Spain.

The 2024/25 PSL Footballer of the year was spotted attending Leonesa’s match over the weekend, fueling the speculations about a move to La Liga 2.

During his time at Sundowns, Ribeiro made 88 appearances across all competitions, scoring 37 goals and providing 23 assists. He also won two league titles and the AFL with the Tshwane giants.

Hlayisani Magoro

Editorfr, en

Football journalist from South Africa covering African football news, exclusive stories and key events while sharing insights with passionate fans of the game.