HCMC sign Brazilian midfielder

Brazilian midfielder Alex Monteiro de Lima (L) trains with HCMC FC in HCMC, February 28, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Duc Dong.

The 31-year-old is considered a tactical player with a dominant left foot and an ability to improvise in front of goal.

He is expected to fill the shoes of injured captain Do Van Thuan after HCMC FC failed to sign MLS player Lee Nguyen last week.

The club hope for a more explosive attack with his addition.

Alex made his football debut at Brazil's Gremio Mauaense FC. He moved to Switzerland's Wohlen FC at the age of 20 and played there from 2008 to 2012, scoring six goals in 66 games.

He then played for MLS team Chicago Fire FC from 2012 to 2015, scoring thrice in 76 matches.

He moved to Houston Dynamo in 2015-17 and spent the last two seasons in K-League 2 with Suwon FC and Anyang FC.

The other international players the club signed with this season are center-back Pape Diakite of Senegal, center-forward Amido Baldé of Guinea-Bissau Bissau and Seo Yong-duk of South Korea.

HCMC FC are competing at AFC Cup for the first time and, thanks to new signings, have been unbeaten after two games.

Alex and Seo can compete in local tournaments. But for AFC Cup, both will have to wait through the group stage to be added to the list, due to past registration deadline.