PANAJI: Dempo Sports Club have strengthened their brittle defence with the signing of Japanese defender Shinnosuke Honda .

The Japanese was on trials with Dempo for a week and is understood to have given a good account of himself. Coach Arthur Papas now wants Honda to shore up the defence which has looked unconvincing in recent times.

"Honda will be a good bet for us. We have already secured his signature," said a Dempo official.

Honda, 24, comes at Dempo with experience of playing in the J-League with Jubilo Iwata in 2009, besides successful spells at Buriram United and Bangkok Glass in Thailand the last couple of years.

Honda would be needed at the club more than ever since Papas has struggled to find quality at the back. Mahesh Gawli will take some time to get back on the field and Cressan Antao has now joined the injury list. In the last match against Sesa FA, which Dempo won 2-0, Debabrata Roy was forced to take-up the centre-back position alongside Australian defender Simon Collosimo.

Dempo's other foreign recruits include Irish striker Billy Mehmet and Brazilian midfielder Roberto Mendes da Silva.

