New Malaga signing Oguchi Onyewu says he is delighted to have joined Los Blanquiazules on a season-long loan from Sporting.
The USA international was snapped up just four minutes before the close of the summer transfer market and, if he impresses at La Rosaleda, the Costa del Sol club will have an option to buy him at the end of the season.
“I am delighted to have been given this new opportunity,” he told assembled media in the early hours of Saturday morning.
“It is an adventure for me to be able to play in what I believe to be the best League in the world, especially with Malaga who have been a good team for the past few years and are in the Champions League.
“I’m very excited and looking forward to starting work as soon as possible.”
An imposing figure at 6ft 4ins, the central defender has represented the USA on 65 occasions, despite possessing a Belgian passport and being of Nigerian descent, and was named best footballer in the United States in 2006.
Onyewu, 30, began his career in France with Metz and has also had spells at La Louviere, Standard Liege, Newcastle United, Milan and FC Twente.