Leandro Fernandes has completed a permanent move from Dubai City FC to Icelandic side UMF Njardvík, signing a contract that runs from 2026-03-11 to 2027-12-31. The Dutch‑Angolan central midfielder joins the Lengjudeild club on a standard transfer, ending his spell in the United Arab Emirates to continue his career in Iceland.
The switch sees the 26-year-old leave Dubai City FC after just over a year with the Emirati side, with the deal registered as a transfer rather than a loan and the fee undisclosed. Njardvík add a versatile right-footed central midfielder to their squad as they look to strengthen in Iceland’s second tier, while Fernandes secures a return to European football.
Fernandes arrives in Njardvík with experience across multiple leagues and countries. Born in Nijmegen and standing 1.85m tall, he came through the Dutch system at NEC Nijmegen’s youth ranks before moving to PSV Eindhoven’s academy, progressing from PSV Eindhoven Youth to the U17 and U19 sides. A move to Italy followed when Juventus Primavera signed him, and he later stepped up to Juventus Next Gen, gaining senior experience in the Italian setup.
After his time in Turin, Fernandes returned to the Netherlands with Fortuna Sittard on loan, then moved permanently to Delfino Pescara 1936 in Italy. Subsequent spells at PEC Zwolle in the Eredivisie and FK Jerv in Norway broadened his exposure to different styles of European football. He later joined FK Žalgiris Vilnius in Lithuania’s top flight before heading to Dubai City FC, and now continues his journeyman path with Njardvík in Iceland.
Market value data over his career shows Fernandes once peaked around the €200,000 mark during his periods with Juventus’ reserve side, Pescara, PEC Zwolle and Jerv. That valuation gradually declined during his time without a club and later at Žalgiris and Dubai City FC, reflecting a career that has fluctuated between promising spells and periods of instability. At Dubai City FC, his most recent listed market value even dropped to zero, underlining why a move to a European league could be important for rebuilding his profile.
The transfer history also suggests that contract lengths have sometimes been short, leading to previous free-agent stints, most notably when he left Pescara and later FK Jerv. With his current deal at Njardvík already defined in terms of start and end dates, there is a clear possibility that Fernandes could become a free agent again once this contract expires, depending on performances and negotiations.
For Njardvík, recruiting a midfielder with experience in the Netherlands, Italy, Norway, Lithuania and the UAE offers tactical flexibility in the centre of the pitch and a player used to adapting to new environments. For Fernandes, the move represents another step abroad, this time into Icelandic football, where consistent performances in the Lengjudeild could relaunch his value and open doors to future moves once his contract in Njardvík comes to an end.
