Kitchee signal AFC Champions League intent with Jakob Jantscher capture
- Head coach says newly signed Austrian international forward ‘can enhance technical quality, dynamism, and depth in the team’
- Jantscher, who was the Austrian Bundesliga player of the season for 2021-22, is set for his debut against Eastern on Saturday
Head coach Alex Chu Chi-kwong said new recruit Jakob Jantscher would add “technical quality and dynamism” to a Kitchee team intent on a stellar AFC Champions League campaign this season.
Austria international Jantscher completed his transfer from Sturm Graz on Wednesday, and is poised for his debut against Eastern at Mong Kok Stadium this weekend, when the VAR system will be employed for the first time in the Hong Kong Premier League.
“Leaving SK Sturm Graz for the second time in my career wasn’t easy at all,” Jantscher – who will wear the No 89 shirt – said in a press release.
“I left the club for the first time for a new challenge when I was 21, and I left the club for the second time with the same purpose at the age of 34.
“This is going to be my first time playing in Asia, and I am really looking forward to the challenges ahead.”
With 23 caps for his country, Jantscher was Austrian Bundesliga player of the season for 2021-22 after scoring 14 goals and assisting 17 in 30 appearances.
“We are about to start our ACL journey, and Jakob’s arrival can definitely enhance the technical quality, dynamism, and depth in the team,” Chu said. “He can play as a striker and operate in both wide positions.”
Champions Kitchee have cruised through their opening two domestic fixtures, with striker Kim Shin-wook – a February recruit – finally getting off the mark.
He scored a 10-minute first-half hat-trick in an 8-0 thumping of HKFC on Sunday, while his fellow centre-forward Juninho netted twice in Kitchee’s opening day 3-0 victory over Tai Po.
But Chu has still moved to strengthen his attacking resources ahead of the opening ACL group fixture against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in Jeonju, South Korea on September 20.
South Korea international Kim, a two-time ACL winner, underlined Kitchee’s ambition to improve on last season’s progress to the round of 16.
“I came to Kitchee for the ACL,” he told the Post. “We want to win the competition. I set goalscoring targets and this season they are only for the ACL. I want at least three goals in the group stage.”
Kitchee’s domestic rivals Lee Man said on Thursday that Everton Camargo had been issued with a Hong Kong passport.
