Oguchi Onyewu will be playing in the UEFA Champions League after completing a one-year loan deal from Sporting Lisbon to Spain's Malaga.

Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini signed Onyewu because of his prowess in the air and experience. Spain will be the seventh country Onyewu has played in after France (Metz), Belgium (La Louviere and Standard Liege), England (Newcastle United), Italy (AC Milan), the Netherlands (Twente) and Portugal (Sporting).

Onyewu will compete for playing time with Argentine Martin Demichelis and Brazilian Welington in the middle of the Malaga backline.

Faced with financial problems, Malaga only signed free agents or players on loan from other clubs over the summer. Chilean midfielder Manuel Iturra arrived on a free transfer from Universidad Chile, Argentine forward Javier Saviola signed as a free agent from Benfica, and Paraguayan forward Roque Santa Cruz is on loan from Manchester City.