Salzburg delighted to sign Soriano
Monday, January 23, 2012
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"A real striker who can score goals" is how FC Salzburg coach Ricardo Moniz described Jonathan Soriano, who has signed for the UEFA Europa League hopefuls from FC Barcelona.
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UEFA Europa League hopefuls FC Salzburg have bolstered their strike force by signing Jonathan Soriano from FC Barcelona.
The 26-year-old forward put pen to paper on a contract that will keep him at the Austrian Bundesliga club until 2015 after passing a medical on Friday. "Jonathan is a real striker who can score goals," said Salzburg coach Ricardo Moniz. "I had a very positive chat with him and discovered how much he really wanted to join us, despite tempting offers from England and Portugal."
A former Spain Under-21 striker, Soriano made the switch from RCD Espanyol to Barcelona in 2009 after spending eight seasons with the Azulgrana's cross-city rivals and winning the Copa del Rey. He went on to score 32 goals in 37 appearances for Barcelona B in Spain's second tier.
Soriano has become Salzburg's second signing of the winter break after they previously lured 25-year-old Brazilian midfielder Cristiano da Silva. Moniz's side lie third in the Austrian Bundesliga, two points behind co-leaders SK Rapid Wien and SV Ried, and will host FC Metalist Kharkiv in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League round of 32 tie on 16 February, ahead of the return encounter in Ukraine a week later.
