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Cremonese have signed Nigeria forward Cyriel Dessers from Belgian side Genk for an undisclosed fee.

The newly-promoted Italian Serie A club were among a number of clubs interested in the 27-year-old.

Dessers was top scorer in the inaugural Europa Conference League last season with 10 goals for runners-up Feyenoord.

"I feel like a child unwrapping his Christmas gift by joining one of the most illustrious leagues in the world," Dessers

Belgium-born Dessers, who decided to play international football for Nigeria in 2020, was on loan at Feyenoord last season from Genk.

He scored 11 times in 43 appearances for Genk after joining in 2020 from Dutch side Heracles, where his 15 league goals saw him finish as the Eredivisie's joint-top scorer in the 2019-20 season.

Dessers also hit 29 goals in 40 matches for NAC Breda in the second tier in 2016-17, before he joined top-flight Utrecht and scored 19 times in 56 games.

Dessers' most impressive campaign came at Feyenoord, scoring 20 goals and adding four assists in 41 appearances.

"It is going to be a difficult challenge full of obstacles, but I am ready to defend the colours of Cremonese," Dessers added.

"I'm looking forward to living a childhood dream in a new environment and doing all I can to help the team in the battles ahead."

Cremonese, back in Serie A for the first time since 1995-96, have not disclosed the length of his contract.

Dessers, who was born in Leuven to a Belgian father and qualifies for Nigeria through his mother, has won three caps for Nigeria, scoring one international goal.

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