Abu Dhabi: Newly signed Al Jazira striker Mirko Vucinic pledged to help return titles to the Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium at his unveiling on Saturday.
Vucinic, 30, joins Eric Gerets’ side in a €6.3 million (Dh31.5 million) transfer from Italian Serie A club Juventus. The Montenegrin international has reportedly signed a three-year deal said to be worth €5 million a season plus €1 million in bonuses. He replaces outgoing Ecuadorian striker Felipe Caicedo.
Al Jazira haven’t won a title since the President’s Cup in 2012 but the former Sutjeska Niksic, Lecce and Roma forward hopes he can help change that.
“Negotiations didn’t take that long because I knew about the club and I knew about the history,” he said. “This club has not won titles for some years now and I felt this need and will from them to win something; and me too, I want to win.
“I got to know of the Al Jazira offer through my agent. I thought it was a pretty good deal and I’m certainly looking forward to give the best to my new club and help them in winning trophies.”
Vucinic has been so taken by Al Jazira’s welcome that he said he would be open to playing out the remainder of his career in the capital, when asked by reporters.
“I will turn 31 in October and that’s not too old for a football player, I am not thinking beyond my playing career at the moment.
“The UAE League I have learnt is a good level and improving all the time. There are several top class players from around the world plying their trade in this region.
“If I am successful as a player and the atmosphere is good for me and my family, why not?”
Vucinic completes Al Jazira’s foreign quartet with Burkinabe striker Jonathan Pitroipa, 28, joining from French Ligue 1 side Rennes.
Moroccan and Brazilian midfielders Abdul Aziz Barrada and Jucilei da Silva have been retained by the club, but Jucilei replaces outgoing South Korean Shin Hyung-min as the club’s Asian player after obtaining a Palestinian passport.
Elsewhere, Slovakian midfielder Miroslav Stoch, said Al Ain coach Zlatko Dalic proved pivotal in his move from Turkey’s Fenerbahce last week.
“I think it is great when people speak well about you,” said the former Chelsea, Twente and PAOK player. “Zlatko is from Croatia and near my country so I will do my best to be close to him.
“He knows well why he wanted me for Al Ain and I will work hard to meet the expectations of the management and the fans.”
Al Ain face Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad in the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League in Al Ain on August 19 and in Jeddah a week later.
“I have great aspirations for the coming days as I know well the challenges waiting for Al Ain. I’m so excited to help the team win more trophies and cups.”
