Villarreal vice president Jose Manuel Llaneza says Afif's signing happened "solely for sporting reasons," although he admitted it could help promote the Spanish club in Qatar. MADRID (AP) " Villarreal says it has signed the Spanish league's first Qatari player, 19-year-old striker Akram Afif. He was signed from Qatari club Al Sadd but had been playing on loan for Eupen in Belgium's second division. Afif could play in Villarreal's friendly against lower-division club Novelda on Thursday, a match that was expected to be broadcast in Qatar. He previously played on loan at the youth squads of Villarreal.

Source: New Zealand Herald May 19, 2016 04:26 UTC