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NEW DEAL: Shamar Nicholson (Photo credit: Gold Cup Facebook)

SHAMAR NICHOLSON, Jamaica’s rising prolific striker, has signed a four-year deal with Belgian top-flight club Royal Charleroi Sporting Club (RCSC).

The Kingston-born hot-shot joined the Zebras from Slovenian club NK Domžale for €1.5 million (£1.39m), announced it's managing director Mehdi Bayat on Tuesday (Aug 13).

The former Boys Town FC star striker left Jamaica's Red Stripe Premier League to sign for NK Domžale in 2017, and he hit 13 goals in 29 games last season.

But he attracted the interest of the Belgian outfit after impressing in this summer's CONCACAF Gold Cup for Jamaica's Reggae Boyz and then in the UEFA Europa League qualifiers with NZ Domžale.

The 22-year-old, brought in to replace Lille-bound forward Victor Osimhen, bagged two goals and provided a goal assist for the Slovenian outfit over the course of the two Europa League matches against Sweden's Malmö FF.

He broke his international duck by notching the winner in the 1-0 friendly against hosts United States in June, then scored the opener in the 1-1 stalemate against Curaçao in the Gold Cup. He also hit the target in the Boyz' semi-final 3-1 defeat in the prestigious competition to the US.
Jamaica head coach Theodore Whitmore unearthed the 6'4" dangerman back in February 2017, but it has only been this year that Nicholson has started scoring with aplomb.

He gets his chance to potentially make his debut in the Belgium First Division A for RCSC when his new side travel to tackle Zulte Waregem next Monday (Aug 19).

RCSC are unbeaten after three league games and defeated visitors Antwerp with a last-named winner on Sunday (Aug 11), utilising their usual 4-2-3-1 formation.

Nicholson is a natural predator and has been firing on all cylinders since June, so will be eager to settle into the squad.

The Belgian top-tier is a league that many English Premier League clubs keep tabs on to discover young talent, and if the Jamaican can maintain his recent momentum then no doubt there will be a lucrative contract offer.