National footballer Arnold Dwarika is expected to sign a contract with a Chinese club as early as tomorrow.
The skilful rasta-haired Vibe CT 105 W. Connection midfielder left Trinidad and Tobago on February 6 for a trial with Chinese club Beijing Guoan.
Guoan, who campaign in the Chinese First Division, visited Trinidad and Tobago in January when they were held 2-2 by a President's XI team at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
Dwarika is among several Trinidad and Tobago players who have had trials in China recently. Returning just last week was North East Stars striker Jerren Nixon, while national goalie Kelvin Jack also had a trial stint in China.
Gary Glasgow, another T&T player, is currently on a one-year stint with Chinese First Division team Guangzhou Xiangxue and scored four goals in his first six matches with the club.
Yesterday, Vibe CT 105 W. Connection owner David John Williams informed the Daily Express that Dwarika had a successful trial and was on the verge of signing a one-year contract. The stint with the Chinese club, should it go through, will be the second overseas assignment for Dwarika, who once played for East Fife in the Scottish second division.
Dwarika is one of four Vibe CT 105 W. Connection players expected to take up a professional contracts overseas this season. Already, Brazilians Ronaldo Viana and Gefferson Da Silva Goulart have been picked up by Yugoslav club F.C. Zeleznik for the rest of the season. The influential Connection midfielders left here in January for a 14-day trial with F.C. Zeleznik. During that time, they travelled to Turkey with the team which was then on a winter break. At that stage, Zeleznik were fourth in the top division, trailing leaders Crvena-Zvezda, Partisan Belgrade and third-placed Sartid.
Both Brazilians, who have been with Connection for the last four years, have reportedly excelled at the club and have started playing with the first team since competition resumed on February 21. Their contracts see them to the end of the season, with an option to sign them on a further two years should F.C. Zeleznik qualify for next season's European competition. Both Goulart and Viana were expected to play yesterday against Red Star Belgrade.
The exodus of players from Connection has meant a restructuring of the team who were runners up in all of the major competitions in T&T and the Caribbean last season.
Owner John Williams said that they will be fielding a very young team, including some of their Under-20's who were loaned out to other teams last season.