Dubai: Al Nasr confirmed the signing of Senegalese striker Ebrahima Toure from Monaco on Wednesday in an undisclosed deal.
Toure, 27, helped the principality toward the French second division title last season, finishing third top scorer with 18 goals, but the arrival of Radamel Falcao from Atletico Madrid had left him surplus to requirement.
He returns to the UAE where he scored 14 goals in 16 appearances for Ajman in the first six months of the 2011/12 season before joining Monaco in January 2012, with whom he would go on to total 31 goals in 58 appearances.
Al Nasr had been in pursuit of the former Persepolis and Sepahan star since the end of last season but it was only after failed attempts to sign Manchester City’s Paraguayan striker Roque Santa Cruz and Catania’s Argentine forward Maxi Lopez that negotiations finally paid off. He replaces outgoing Italian striker Giuseppe Mascara and will join up with his new Al Nasr teammates on camp in Germany on Sunday.
Al Nasr spokesman Fahad Hadi told Gulf News: “We’re happy because he was always our first option. The deal was going on and off but in the end we got our man.
“He has a good record in Iran, Ajman and Monaco. Add to that the fact he’s only 27, means we can get maximum benefit from him.”
Hadi added that Al Nasr would announce another signing within the coming days to replace outgoing Brazilian forward Bruno Correa, with Al Ain’s Jires Kembo Ekoko and West Brom’s Peter Odemwingie said to be among the candidates. “Ekoko or Odemwingie are still not finalised,” said Hadi. “Hopefully things will be finalised very soon because we need the second player in camp and late transfers take time to incorporate.”
Whoever joins will complete Al Nasr’s foreign quartet with Australian midfielder Brett Holman joining from Aston Villa in June, and Brazilian midfielder Leo Lima retained.
Elsewhere, Al Shabab have confirmed the signing of Brazilian striker Adeilson Pereira de Mello, 27, from Tombense, in replacement for Al Ahli-bound Jociel Ferreira da Silva. Adeilson completes Al Shabab’s quota with Brazilian striker Edgar Bruno, Uzbek midfielder Azizbek Haydarov and Chilean midfielder Carlos Villanueva all retained.
Al Shaab have also completed their quartet after signing Brazilian striker Thiago Quirino da Silva, 28, on loan from Japan’s Shonon Bellmare. He teams up with new Australian midfielder Billy Celeski, Sierre Leone midfielder Julius Wobay and retained French striker Michel Laurent. Portuguese midfielder Felipe Teixiera, Zimbabwean midfielder Noel Kaseke and Lebanese striker Hassan Mattouk have all left the club.
