Piana to play for Otelul

CS Otelul Galati have signed their first foreign players after the French striker Marlin Piana and Brazilian André Vieira agreed terms with the Romanian club.

On trail in Belgium
The 20-year-old Piana was born in Kinshasa, DR Congo, but moved to France seven years ago. He joined ES Troyes Aube Champagne in 1997, spending five years with the club until his release. Piana went on trial with clubs in France and Belgian side R. Standard de Liège before opting for a spell in Romanian football.

Idol Weah
Piana said of the move: "I didn't come for the money because I know that in Romania I cannot earn too much. I want to play here in order to be seen by stronger clubs and be picked up by one of them. I want to be a second George Weah because he is my
idol."

‘Good alternatives’
Piana is joined at the Otelul stadium by the 28-year-old André, who spent four seasons at Grêmio Football Porto Alegrense in Brazil. Both were on trial at Otelul's winter training camps in Romania and Cyprus, doing enough to impress coach Costel Orac. He said: "I am very pleased with both of them. They are good alternatives and can help us improve our game."

Returning home
Romanian midfield player Florin Nitulescu, 20, has also been signed from the Japanese football academy in Ohara. Nitulescu had been residing in Asia after he caught the eye of Japanese scouts in Romanian schoolboy football. However, he was keen for a return home. Otelul are currently eleventh in the 16-team first division.