Released Stoke City defender Dionatan Teixeira has landed a contract in Moldova.

The Sentinel says he had been on trial at MFK Ruzomberok in the Slovakia top flight but had not been able to prove his fitness to make an immediate impact.

Instead, he has turned to the Moldovan champions, Sheriff Tiraspol. Sheriff were knocked out in the second qualifying round of the Champions League this season and are challenging to qualify for Europe's premier team tournament again now, currently sitting just two points behind league leaders Milsami Orhei.

Teams in second and third go into the Europa League and Sheriff are nine points ahead of fourth-placed Dacia Chișinău.