JDT to sign Patito Rodríguez

Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) have confirmed the capture of Santos playmaker Patricio "Patito" Rodriguez on a loan deal.

The move was confirmed by Tunku Ismail Ibni Sultan Ibrahim, the Crown Prince of Johor and the President of the Johor Football Association, on JDT's official Facebook page on Saturday.

The 24-year-old Argentine will be replacing Jorge Pereyra Diaz, whom the club has agreed to sell to a Brazilian side in the upcoming April transfer window, and playing for the Southern Tigers until November 2015, but the Crown Prince said he would like to sign him on a permanent deal.

"I'm very impressed with the quality and playing style he possesses, having kept an eye on him since 2013 when he was playing with Neymar," he wrote.

"[Despite] being a loan deal, we are hoping to tie him down permanently after November 2015.

"He is scheduled to arrive in Johor on March 14th, and we will make an official announcement to all JDT supporters by then."

Rodriguez began his career as a youth player for Independiente, where he played for four years before moving to Santos in 2012.

He then left the club for a year-long loan at Estudiantes, where he scored two goals in 28 appearances.