Brazilian Luiz Pachu is The Strongest's New Forward

The Bolivian football club The Strongest has announced the signing of Brazilian forward Luiz Henrique Pachu Lira, who has already begun training with the squad in La Paz. The arrival of Pachu, born in Rio de Janeiro on February 26, 1996, marks a significant boost for The Strongest, particularly as the club has just had FIFA sanctions lifted, allowing them to register and activate players.

Pachu brings international experience, having played in Portugal's third division for Trofense from 2021 to 2023. He then moved to Azerbaijan, where he played for Turan Tovuz and most recently Kapaz. In the first half of this year with Kapaz, he appeared in 13 matches and scored two goals. His career also includes stints with various clubs in Brazil's lower divisions, such as Cianorte, Santa Cruz, and Boavista, after starting at Botafogo.

The club's ability to sign Pachu was contingent on FIFA removing the transfer ban. The Strongest had faced four enforceable judgments, including one from FIFA's Compensation Chamber for non-compliance with 2021 directives. Additionally, there were demands from Argentine coach Carlos Bustos and players Abdiel Ayarza and Enrique Triverio. The club reached an agreement with Triverio late Monday, which led to the immediate removal of the ban.

With the sanctions resolved, Pachu is set to integrate into The Strongest's first team. The Bolivian football league's short player registration period concluded on July 31, but clubs have an additional 15 business days to register free agents. This allows The Strongest, having resolved its FIFA issues, to finalize Pachu's registration within the extended window.