Dubai: Ajman signed Kuwaiti striker Yousuf Nasser as their allocated Asian player as a replacement for Iranian forward Mohammad Reza Khalatbari on Saturday.
Nasser, 22, who joins on a one-year loan deal from Kuwaiti side Kazma, is a regular in the Kuwaiti national team, scoring 19 goals in 43 internationals. He arrived just in time for Ajman’s opening game of the season at home to Bani Yas on Sunday.
His signing, alongside that of Guinean midfielder Simon Feindouno and the retention of Moroccan midfielder Driss Fettouhi and Ivorian striker Boris Kabi, marks the end of a drawn-out transfer debacle for the Orange Brigade.
Iraqi coach Abdul Wahab Abdul Qader’s 2013 League Cup winners had settled their foreign quartet early with the signing of Iranian forward Khalatbari from Iran’s Sepahan in June. However, the UAE Pro League’s name change to the Arabian Gulf League prompted the Iranian to cancel his contract in protest.
The name change had already ended Sharjah’s hopes of signing Iran captain Javad Nekounam from Spain’s Osasuna. Khalatbari and Nekounam have now returned to Iran’s Persepolis and Esteghlal respectively.
Bani Yas and Dubai Club are the only clubs yet to have finalised their foreign quartet. Bani Yas had been in talks with Paraguayan striker Oscar Romero, while Dubai were on the verge of an agreement with Syrian midfielder Jehad Al Hussain, but both deals appear to have fallen through.
