Shimizu S-Pulse announce twin signings

Brazilians Marcos Aurélio and Marcos Paulo Alves have lobbed up at Shimizu S-Pulse, following the announcement yesterday that S-Pulse had lured Marcos Aurélio from Santos FC on a one year loan deal.

The signing of Marcos Aurélio is not exactly the big-name replacement for departed Korean star Cho Jae-Jin that S-Pulse fans were hoping for. Since 2002 Marcos Aurélio has played for no less than seven Brazilian clubs, and he seemed to spend the latter half of 2006 playing for Serie C side Bragantino. His stats at Santos FC, not that I'm fluent in Portugese, appear anything but flattering.

Clearly Shimizu S-Pulse have taken a gamble on Marcos Aurélio, and he'll most likely start behind Shinji Okazaki and Takuro Yajima in the pecking order. These one year intercontinental loan deals hardly ever work out well though, and in checking out the Santos FC website this morning, I noted that FC Tokyo defender Evaldo was on his way back to Brazil having signed for Santos after hardly getting on the pitch in the J-League.

Shimizu's other signing in Marcos Paulo Alves appears more promising. The former Brazilian international counts Udinese and Sporting Lisbon among his former clubs, although he failed to break through at either side. Indeed, Marcos Paulo's career seems to amount to little more than a succession of starts at no less than nine different clubs!

At least Marcos Paulo is accustomed to Japanese football, having made eleven appearances in the second half of Yokohama FC's ill-fated 2007 campaign. Indeed Marcos Paulo appeared embarrassed to even be on the pitch for Yokohama FC - clearly his agent failed to mention that he was joining one of the worst teams in the history of football, and his expression upon making his debut for Yokohama FC in their 8-1 pummelling at the hands of cross-town rivals Yokohama F. Marinos was priceless.

Yet even the signing of Marcos Paulo is somewhat puzzling. He generally features as a defensive midfielder, yet Shimizu S-Pulse already possess a defensive midfielder - one of the best in the Japanese game in Teru Ito, who has played more than 400 league games for S-Pulse!

It's clear that S-Pulse's twin signings are an exercise in strengthening the depth available to coach Kenta Hasegawa, with the permanent transfers of left-back Arata Kodama and midfielder Fernandinho from Gamba Osaka, after their one year loan deals with S-Pulse had expired, seen as the most important piece of business during the off-season.

Yet I can't help but feel concerned about the prospect of the new season. The departure of Cho Jae-Jin leaves a gaping hole in the S-Pulse squad and puts added pressure on Okazaki and Yajima up front. Maybe that's what they need but if one of them gets injured, here's hoping that Marcos Aurélio adapts to life in Japan quickly, otherwise it could be a long-season indeed for the orange faithful.