Former Spain striker Daniel Guiza, the biggest star in the Malaysian league, will return to La Liga side Getafe after Darul Takzim cut short his one-year loan deal.
The 32-year-old is reportedly paid 250,000 ringgit ($82,000) weekly, a massive sum for a club in Malaysia, whose national team is ranked 164th in the world. The striker was La Liga's top scorer in 2008.
The Football Association of Johor, a southern state which runs the team, said Friday it had terminated his contract -- which was due to end in August when the Malaysian season would still be ongoing -- to enable the team to find a replacement during the upcoming transfer window.
The team, which plays in the top-flight Super League, also released former Italian youth international and Lazio midfielder Simone Del Nero.
"As the transfer window opens on April 8, the management has decided to release the two players and find calibre replacements," said acting Johor FA president Obet Tawil in a statement.
"It cannot be denied that the two players... are international-class who have helped the team to its current position."
Darul Takzim are third in the table and just one point off the top.
The Johor FA had estimated in pre-season that to buy Guiza outright from the La Liga side would cost $3.2 million.
His signing was the biggest of a string of high-profile deals -- including former English Premier League star George Boateng -- in this season's Malaysian league.
Guiza, who won the 2008 European Championships with Spain, has scored eight goals in 13 games for Darul Takzim, including a brace in his most recent game last week.
He and 31-year-old Del Nero will play their last game for Darul Takzim in Saturday's clash against fellow title-chasers Selangor.
AFP
Sat Apr 06 2013
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