Bani Yas zoom in on Algerian duo
Striker Ziaya and defender Bouzid being assessed as replacements for Trezeguet and Toni
Abu Dhabi: Bani Yas are looking to fill the void left by David Trezeguet and Toni by signing a pair of Algerian internationals.
The Abu Dhabi club, who were Etisalat Pro League runners-up last season but are currently languishing in ninth place, terminated the contracts of Toni and Trezeguet ahead of the winter transfer window.
The club moved to conduct medical assessments of striker Abdul Malek Ziaya and defender Esmail Bouzid as it looks to strengthen the squad for domestic competitions and the AFC Champions League.
France-born Bouzid, aged 28, is currently with Greek Superleague team PAS Giannina, but he has experience of playing with clubs such as Kaiserslautern and Cologne in Germany, Galatasaray in Turkey and Hearts in Scotland.
Ziaya is unattached since leaving Al Ittihad in Saudi Arabia and the 27-year-old has vast experience in Asian football.
Title hope
Bani Yas have reached the semi-finals of the President's Cup and that seems to be their only chance to win a title this season, judging by the big difference between them and Al Ain, the leaders of the Etisalat Pro League, who are 14 points ahead after just 10 matches.
National revamp
Meanwhile, Dr Abdullah Misfir, the caretaker coach of the UAE national football team, has invited 20 players to form a B Team, which will play a friendly match against Libya in Tripoli on January 19.
The team features new names representing the country for the first time or players who have not taken part in the qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup because of injuries.
The team will gather in Abu Dhabi on Monday and will leave for Libya the next day. The list includes: Ali Khaseef, Juma Abdullah, Khamis Esmail and Abdulla Qasim (Al Jazira), Salem Abdullah, Eisa Mohammad, Adil Abdullah and Eisa Obaid (Al Shabab), Mohammad Ali, Hilal Saeed, Salem Khamis and Younus Ahmad (Al Nasr), Fawzi Fayez and Mohannad Salem Al Enazy (Al Ain), Ali Saeed and Mohammad Sorrour (Sharjah), Yousuf Jabr (Bani Yas), Ahmad Khamis (Al Ahli), Ali Khamis (Ajman) and Hassan Mohammad (Dubai).
The UAE senior team will face Uzbekistan in a friendly match on January 29 at Al Maktoum Stadium in Dubai as part of their preparations for the last of their qualifiers for the World Cup against Lebanon on February 29.
