Portuguese lower-league side Associação Naval 1893 has announced the signing of Lukass Žuravļovs, a 19-year-old goalkeeper and member of the Latvia U-19 national team.
Žuravļovs is a product of the BFC Daugavpils academy and made his professional debut in the Latvian Virslīga in October 2023, at the age of just 17, during a 1-3 loss to FC RFS. Since then, he has made a total of five appearances in Latvia’s top flight, conceding 11 goals in that time.
Now, the young keeper is taking on a new challenge abroad, joining Associação Naval 1893, a club with a rich history in Portuguese football. Once a regular in the country’s top two divisions between 1998 and 2013, including a six-season run in the Primeira Liga from 2005 to 2011, Naval also reached the Portuguese Cup semi-finals twice during its golden era.
However, following financial issues, the club had to restart from the bottom tiers. Now competing in the Campeonato de Portugal, the fourth tier of Portuguese football, Naval earned promotion last season from the fifth tier and is looking to rebuild its status.
Žuravļovs, who has also represented Latvia U-19 in one official match, will begin his first season abroad on August 10, as Naval kicks off its 2024–25 campaign in the Campeonato de Portugal.
Source: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=122224852358160785&set=a.122114186588160785
