Dubai: Emirates Club confirmed the transfer of Brazilian forward Rodrigo Pimpao from Rio de Janeiro’s Botafogo on Monday.
The 27-year-old joined the Ras Al Khaimah outfit on a one-year deal worth Dh1.8 million after completing his medical in Belgrade, Serbia, earlier this week, where the team is currently on a pre-season tour.
“I was very well received by the players and the coaching staff,” he told the Brazilian press. “I am very happy with this opportunity and I hope to repeat the good performances that I was having at Botafogo and help Emirates have a great season.”
Pimpao’s agent Marcio Bittencourt added: “We agreed everything on Monday, it is a very good opportunity. The player is very happy and we want to thank Botafogo for everything.”
The former Parana, Vasco Da Gama and America player, who has overseas experience at South Korea’s Suwon Bluewings and Iran’s Tractor Sazi, replaces Argentinian forward German Herrara, who has joined Vasco Da Gama.
Pimpao, who scored nine goals in 22 appearances last season, joins Australian midfielder Brett Holman who joined from Al Nasr this summer and retained Moroccan Essam Erraki. Brazilian coach Paulo Comelli still has one vacancy to fill before Emirates kick off their season away to Al Nasr on August 21, after the departures of Herrara, Brazilian attacking midfielders Luiz Henrique and Rodrigo Silva, and Korean midfielder Shin Jin-ho.
Emirates finished tenth in the 14-team Arabian Gulf League last season after gaining promotion back to the top flight in 2012/13, and will now look to consolidate their position further.
Elsewhere, Sharjah have confirmed the signing of Brazilian midfielder Maicosuel on a year’s loan from Atletico Mineiro worth Dh1.8 million. The 24-year-old formerly of Udinese and 1899 Hoffenheim said: “I am very happy, confident and motivated to begin this new chapter of my career.” Maicosuel completes the club’s foreign quota under Brazilian coach Paulo Bonamigo, and will line up alongside newly signed Brazilian attacking midfielder Renato Caja from Ponte Preta and fellow Brazilians retained from last season; striker Wanderley Santos and defender Mauricio Ramos, who qualifies as the club’s Asian player due to Palestinian citizenship.
