Free-spending Malaga sign Joaquin and Sanchez

Ambitious Spanish Liga club Malaga announced late on Thursday the signing of Joaquin from Valencia and of Sergio Sanchez from Sevilla.

Malaga have paid Valencia around four million euros (5.7 million  dollars) for Joaquin, according to media reports.

   The 29 year-old right-winger was an expensive buy for Valencia from Betis in 2006, but has proved to be a disappointment at Mestalla. He played for Spain at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, but has not been called up since 2007.

   The price of right-back Sanchez, 25, is around 3 million euros.

His progress at Sevilla was held back by suspected heart problems, but Malaga are confident that he is now fully fit.

   Malaga owner Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nassar Al-Thani has promised to  make the Andalusian club a major force in European football, and has so far spent more than any other Spanish club this summer.

   His previous signings were Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Joris Mathijsen from SV Hamburg, Diego Buonanotte from River Plate, Nacho  Monreal from Osasuna and Jeremy Toulalan from Lyon.