Afghan footballer Hossein Karnil joins Swedish club Halmsstad

Swedish club Halmsstad announced that Hossein Karnil, a 22-year-old Afghan attacking midfielder, has signed a contract with the team. Karnil, who received offers from several other clubs in Sweden's top football league, ultimately joined Halmsstad as the team's final signing before the new season.

According to the club's official website, Karnil, who participated in recent training sessions with Halmsstad, agreed to a multi-year deal. He previously played for Atletico Sanluqueño in Spain and was a notable player for IFK Gothenburg.

Jesper Westerberg, Halmsstad's manager, said: "Hossein is a creative and capable midfielder who finds spaces well and can bypass opposing defenders. He performed very well in training, and we hope he makes significant progress in our club environment."

Karnil was born in Afghanistan but grew up in Trollhättan, Sweden. He joined the Gothenburg academy at a young age and debuted in Sweden's top league early. He left Gothenburg last year to play in Spain but terminated his contract in winter and became a free agent. Earlier this year, he trained briefly with Oergryte before moving to Halmsstad, where he scored two goals for the under-21 team in a recent win over Varberg.

Karnil expressed happiness about the move: "I'm very happy everything is finalized, and I'm eager to start seriously. The players welcomed me well, and the club environment is very professional."

He will join Halmsstad's main team training immediately and is expected to play a key role in midfield, increasing competition alongside Otsu Limata. Westerberg described Karnil as a long-term project, noting the signing was made possible with financial support from club backers.

Karnil's details: Born May 9, 2003 (22 years old); position: midfielder; previous clubs: Trollhättan, Trollhättan Boys, Skoftebyn, Gothenburg, Atletico Sanluqueño.