Brazilian striker Junior Negrao leaves Asian champions Ulsan Hyundai
(Reuters) - Brazilian striker Junior Negrao has left Asian Champions League winners Ulsan Hyundai after helping the South Koreans win the continental title last month, the club announced on Thursday.
The former Daegu FC forward scored both of his side’s goals in the Asian Champions League final as Ulsan defeated Iran’s Persepolis 2-1 in December in Qatar to win the title for the second time in the club’s history.
The 34-year-old finished the competition as joint top scorer with Abderazzak Hamdallah of Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr with seven goals but the Brazilian has decided it is time to move.
“I have been here for three years but now it’s time to say goodbye,” Junior said in a video released on Ulsan’s social media accounts.
“I want to say thank you to everyone who worked with me here. I made a lot of good friends here and I just want to say thank you to all the fans who gave me a lot of love from the beginning. But now I have to change, I need to change.”
Junior has repeatedly been linked with a move to the Chinese Super League after finishing with 35 goals in 41 matches in all competitions last season.
As well as his prolific form in the continental championship, Junior scored 26 times in 27 games as Ulsan finished runners-up in the K-League behind Jeonbuk Motors.
Ulsan are due to represent Asian in the FIFA Club World Cup in Qatar next month, where they will take on Mexico’s Tigres UNAL in the second round on Feb. 4.
(Reporting by Michael Church in Hong Kong, Editing by Ken Ferris)
