MaMkhize swoops to sign Ricardo Nascimento at Royal AM
Royal AM have signed Brazilian centreback Ricardo Nascimento from Mamelodi Sundowns.
The wealthy Durban club made the announcement in the form of a video on their official Facebook account featuring flamboyant owner Shauwn Mkhize welcoming the left-footed defender to the club.
“Guys, I have yet another surprise for you. I'm trying to make sure the team Royal AM is strengthened,” Mkhize said.
“I've started with wingers, fast-paced. I went from the wingers to the strikers. And now I'm coming to the core — I'm strengthening my defence.
“Nascimento, bem-vindo ao [welcome to] Royal AM.”
Nascimento, 35, signed for Downs from Brazil’s Atletico Monte Azul in June 2016. He became a stalwart in the Pretoria club’s defence and is a reliable penalty-taker, scoring 17 goals in 139 league and cup appearances.
Plagued by injuries he was fielded just six times — all in the DStv Premiership — in 2021-22.
Royal AM, who bought the franchise of Bloemfontein Celtic in the off-season, are in seventh place after 17 games in the Premiership.