Dubai: Australia captain Lucas Neill says he is looking forward to working alongside Bruno Metsu after signing a one-year deal with Al Wasl on Saturday.
Neill, a 34-year-old defender formerly of Millwall, Blackburn, West Ham, Everton and Galatasaray, was released by Al Jazira at the end of last season despite lifting the President’s Cup and scoring five goals in 38 appearances.
He now replaces Oman’s Mohammad Shaiba in the Al Wasl defence and teams up with fellow overseas players Mariano Donda and Mahmoud Shikabala at Zabeel Stadium. A striker, to be decided between Ghana’s Emmanuel Clottey and Brazil’s Afonso Alves, will be announced later this week.
“I’m delighted to be joining Al Wasl,” said Neill. “My family and I really enjoyed our time in the UAE last season, and having already experienced the Pro League I’m looking forward to another challenging season here.
“I’m also looking forward to working with Bruno Metsu, who is one of the most experienced and respected coaches in the region, and I’m hopeful of being able to help the club achieve its ambitions.”
Neill’s agent Darren Jackson said: “Lucas had a number of options but decided on Al Wasl as the club has ambitious targets for the upcoming season, they have an exceptional coach and [there’s] the added benefit of his family already being settled in the area.
“Lucas wanted to join a club where he can play a key role in their success and believes that he can do that with Al Wasl this season,”
Elsewhere Al Ain, the only other club with vacancies for overseas players, seem to have stalled on both their possible imports. Arsenal’s South Korean striker Park Chu-young has reportedly turned down an offer to join the Garden City club in favour of a loan switch to Spain’s Celta Vigo, while Al Ain have yet to formalise their €8 million [Dh36.7 million] deal with Lyon for Brazilian winger Michel Bastos.
