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Wellington Phoenix has signed Bulgarian midfielder Bozhidar Kraev for two years.
Wellington Phoenix has signed a Bulgarian international with Champions League experience.
Bozhidar Kraev, a 25-year-old attacking midfielder, has been confirmed as the club’s first new foreign signing for the upcoming A-League Men season.
Kraev has capitulated 24 times by Bulgaria since making his international debut as a teenager in 2017.
His most recent appearances for his national team were in friendlies against world champions France and Slovakia last August.
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Kraev has been under contract with the Danish Superliga club FC Midtjylland for the past five years, where he played in the Champions League against Liverpool and Ajax, among others.
He helped Midtjylland win one league title and two domestic cups, but his most prolific season came when he was loaned out to Portuguese club Gil Vicente in 2019-20, where he scored nine goals and provided two assists.
Kraev has signed a two-year deal with the Phoenix.
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Kosta Barbarouses is back for a third stint at the Wellington Phoenix and has his eyes set on his fifth title.
“The Phoenix’s offer interested me,” Kraev said. “I had a few other options, but I had a good feeling about it.
“The A-League is growing and becoming popular and I wanted to be a part of it.”
At 1.86m, Kraev is taller than most players in his position and he said he hoped to “bring something different” to the Phoenix after a frustrating last season in Denmark where he saw very little playing time.
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Bozhidar Kraev has been capitulated 24 times by Bulgaria.
Kraev has been brought in to fill the creative void left by Reno Piscopo’s departure to Newcastle Jets and the expiration of Mexican importer Gael Sandoval’s loan.
He is the fourth new addition to Phoenix after the previously announced acquisitions of Kosta Barbarouses, Steven Ugarkovic and Lucas Mauragis.
“[He is] a little different from the 10’s we signed up for before. He’s a lot bigger. With a length of 186 cm, it is a good size. He’s strong on the ball and deceptively quick for his height,” said Phoenix coach Ufuk Talay.
“But he is still technically good on the ball and he can score goals. Hopefully he can also score for us and give assists.
“He’s a natural 10 and with the traits he has, I think he’ll fit in pretty well with the way we set up.”
Kraev arrived in Wellington on Wednesday after the long journey from Bulgaria and was due to train with his new teammates for the first time on Friday.
He will wear the number 11 shirt previously worn by striker Jaushua Sotirio.