Valletta yesterday made the major signing of the January transfer window so far when they concluded a deal with Hamrun Spartans over the transfer of international midfielder Ryan Fenech.

City club president Victor Sciriha confirmed the deal which will see the current league leaders paying the Spartans a considerable sum in cash and the transfer on loan of two Valletta players – Massimo Grima and Dyson Falzon. Hamrun.

Grima will be on loan with the Spartans till the end of season 2011-2012, while Falzon will also be joining on loan, though only till the end of this season.

The Spartans wanted to have an option to sign Falzon at the end of this season if the player was happy to stay with them, but Sciriha said Falzon was still very much in City’s plans for the future. In fact, the former Mosta youngster has a five-year contract with Valletta.

Meanwhile, Brazilian striker Antunes Andersen is expected to arrive in Malta tonight to further strengthen the runaway Premier League leaders.

He is 29 years old and also played in Costa Rica before coming to Malta.

Fenech’s departure will put Hamrun under more pressure now that only three matches remain for the end of the first phase.

The Spartans are still in sight of a Top Six berth, but have now gone through three consecutive defeats.