Moroccan striker to rejoin Al Ain as Keita's replacement

Abu Dhabi: Moroccan striker Sufian Al Aloudi will return to the line up of Al Ain to replace injured pivot midfielder Ebrahima Keita, from Ivory Coast, who was injured after less than 70 minutes of his debut in the UAE Pro-League(UFL).

Keita joined Al Ain last week from Al Qadisiya, of Kuwait, in a one season transfer deal that amounted 1 million euros (Dhs6 million) following the departure of the team's Chilean captain and playmaker Jorge Valdivia and Brazilian striker Emerson.

But he suffered an injury in his league debut against Dubai in the first week of the UFL and was taken to a hospital where it was discovered that his knee injury will keep him out of action for at least six weeks leaving the team with only one foreign professional, Argentinean striker Jose Sand.

Al Aloudi who was about to leave the club left for France for treatment where it was discovered that he is suffering from a slight injury that only needs two weeks to heal. .

Al Aloudi returned to Al Ain and started his physiotherapy and will rejoin the team on the third week of the UFL.

Al Ain is still on the lookout for a third foreign professional and it was reported that the club has almost finished negotiations with a top Brazilian player in addition to Mustafa Karim, the Iraqi international, who will join the team in the AFC Champions League play off as an Asian pro.

The deadline of registering new players in the UFL is on September 16.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Ali, the Al Wahda and UAE Olympic team striker, has joined Bani Yas on a five-year contract and might feature in his new team's league match tonight against Al Dhafra.

Ali shone with the UAE youth team that won the Asian Championship in Saudi Arabia in 2008, placed 8th in the Fifa Under 20 World Cup in Egypt in 2009 and won the Gulf Under 23 Cup in Qatar last month.

Adapt

Ali will play alongside five of his colleagues in the UAE Olympic team — Amer Abdul Rahman, Theyab Awanah, Mohammad Fawzi, Mohammad Jaber and Habboush Saleh — which means it will not be long for him to adapt and settle with his new team.

Dr Ahmad Al Awadhi, manager of Bani Yas, confirmed the deal but refused to disclose how much was paid to the gifted right winger.