New Shonan Bellmare midfielder Paulinho is ambitiously after AFC Champions League qualification after arriving on a one-year loan from JEF United Chiba.

The 26-year-old has previously played for Kawasaki Frontale as well as Tochigi SC, first setting foot on Japanese soil with the latter in 2010.

Paulinho scored twice in 36 second tier appearances last season, and is now eager to step his performances up in order to take Bellmare to the big stage.

“I’m happy to be able to play again in the J1 and grateful to Shonan Bellmare for believing in my potential,” he said. 

“I hope to contribute to the team in order to earn even better results than 2015 and win a place in the AFC Champions League.”

The 2014 MEIJI YASUDA J2 League winners exceeded expectations in the top-flight last term, and are reinforcing for a push to secure continental competition.

Cho Kwi-jea’s men comfortably secured survival and finishing eighth – above the likes of Nagoya Grampus and Kashiwa Reysol.