Ghana striker Emmanuel Clottey joins Al Dhafra in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi: Ghanaian international striker Emmanuel Clottey has joined Al Dhafra on loan from Tunisia’s Esperance club as part of the Abu Dhabi club’s quest to strengthen their forward line for the new season.

Khalifa Al Tunaiji, chairman of Al Dhafra Football Company, praised Clottey and expressed his club’s thanks to the Tunisian club for releasing the seven-times-capped striker.

“We are looking forward with great expectations to the new season.” Al Tunaiji said. “We have made some good deals this summer. We have signed deals with local players according to the recommendations of our head coach, Dr Abdullah Misfir, and are building on our excellent performances and results in the second half of the last league season. Next this season, we are looking to take an advanced place in the standings.”

Clottey made his name in his homeland before making his first forays into Europe with loan spells at Austria’s Wacker Innsbruck and Denmark’s Odense Boldklub. The 25-year-old joined Esperance last September, reportedly on a three-year deal.

“I have no idea about the UAE football but I know it is a fantastic country. I am happy to have come here to join Al Dhafra,” he said when signing his new contract this week.

Al Dhafra finished eighth in the 14-team Etisalat Pro-League last season after being threatened with relegation early in the campaign. They have recently signed defenders Ebrahim Saeed from Bani Yas and Ahmad Sulaiman from Al Wasl, as well as Ali Abbas, the former UAE, Al Nasr, Al Ahli, Al Jazira and Al Wasl midfielder.

“I am happy to join Al Dhafra and I am optimistic that the team can achieve good results in the new season. They have proved their true worth last season and they are capable of doing even better,” Abbas said.