Beto Espinola joins Cerro Porteño

Paraguayan soccer club Cerro Porteño on Tuesday presented Alberto “Beto” Espinola, 27, called upon to replace Raul Caceres, who signed with Brazil’s Vasco de Gama.

The Paraguayan defender joins Cerro on loan from General Diaz and will make his debut at the start of the Apertura tournament season on Jan. 22.

It is a “dream come true,” Espinola said during the presentation at General Pablo Rojas stadium in Asuncion.

“I’m going to give it my all,” he told club president Raul Zapag.

Espinola is Cerro’s seventh acquisition of the current transfer window, after the arrival of Joaquin Larrivey, Juan Pablo Carrizo, Rodrigo Muñoz, Salustiano Candia, Julio Dos Santos and Fernando Amorebieta.

Sporting director Roberto Nanni said that while he is “very pleased” with the team’s reinforcements, he is still hoping to recruit Pachi Carrizo, now with Rosario Central, and Jorge Moreira from River Plate.

Cerro will face Argentina’s Atletico Tucuman at Rojas stadium Wednesday night in a preseason friendly.