Hapoel Be'er Sheva Signs Peruvian Striker Adrian Ugrinic

Hapoel Be'er Sheva, the reigning Israeli Premier League champions, have officially announced the signing of Peruvian striker Adrian Ugrinic to a three-year contract. The 29-year-old forward joins from fellow league club Ironi Kiryat Shmona, marking a surprising move in the transfer window for Be'er Sheva, who had not initially planned to acquire another foreign striker.

Ugrinic was a standout player in the previous season, scoring 20 goals across all competitions and finishing as the league's second-top scorer. He began the current season strongly with four goals. His performance made him one of the most sought-after foreign players in the league, and he now makes the leap to the champions.

"I am excited to sign with the state champions," Ugrinic stated after the signing. "I thank the professional staff and management for their trust in me. I am sure that together we can achieve great things and meet all the goals set before us."

The decision to pursue Ugrinic stemmed partly from shifts in Be'er Sheva's transfer plans. The club initially aimed to sign a foreign center-back and a central midfielder to complete their quota of eight foreign players. However, after negotiations for their primary center-back target failed, they signed Israeli defender Idan Nachmias. This move freed up a foreign player slot, which Be'er Sheva utilized to sign Ugrinic, significantly bolstering their attacking options under coach Ran Kochva.

This signing may impact young Israeli forward Amit Ouhana, who scored his first league goal recently and is now expected to see reduced playing time. Meanwhile, Be'er Sheva is not finished with their transfer activity. They have also agreed to a loan deal for 23-year-old Norwich City midfielder Amankwah Forson, a Ghanaian international who previously played for Red Bull Salzburg and in the Champions League. Forson is expected to arrive in Israel and become Be'er Sheva's eighth foreign player.