The Peninsula
Reigning Qatar Stars League and Amir Cup champions Al Sadd yesterday announced they have signed Spanish forward Rafa Mujica for four years starting from the 2024-2025 season.
Mujica, who represented Spain at the U19 level, has arrived at Al Sadd from Portuguese side FC Arouca.
“I am happy to join Al Sadd Club, which has achieved and won [many] championships in Qatari football. I hope to achieve all my ambitions with my new team at the beginning of next season,” the 25-year-old said in a statement on club’s website.
“It feels great to sign for Al Sadd Club. I have great enthusiasm and passion for the beginning of my new phase with the club.”
In the summer of 2019, Mujica joined Leeds - who were managed by Marcelo Bielsa at the time - on a three-year contract, signing from Barcelona’s B team. However, the forward was never able to establish himself at Elland Road. After a string of loan spells, he left the West Yorkshire outfit permanently in 2021 to make a loan move to Las Palmas permanent, having never made his competitive debut for the Whites.
Following his permanent move to Las Palmas, Mujica did not remain with the Spanish side for much longer. Instead, after just one season playing permanently with the club, he moved to Portugal to join Arouca in the summer of 2022.
Since making that move, Mujica has started to find his touch in front of goal, scoring a total of 37 times in 68 appearances in all competitions for FC Arouca, including 20 in Portugal’s top flight this season.
Al Sadd, under coach Wesam Rizk, were phenomenal in the recently-concluded domestic football season claiming a double but they failed to leave a mark in last AFC Champions League.