Abu Dhabi: Al Ain has announced their first major signing of the season by getting Japan’s Kashima Antlers winger Caio on board.
There were reports that the 22-year-old Brazilian was also being hunted by two more clubs from Qatar and Al Ain’s initial €3 million (Dh12.4m) offer last month was below the Qatari clubs.
However, The Boss has now finally managed to get the 2014 rookie of the year on a three-year contact.
They also announced one more signing on Saturday night — Bani Yas key playmaker Amer Abdul Rahman will be donning the purple colours for 2016-17 season. He has also been roped in on a three year contact.
“I’m well aware of Al Ain and the club is well known in the Asian continent. I will do my best to achieve all the goals of the club and its fans. I have a good idea about the team and it aspirations or else I wouldn’t be here,” said Caio, who scored 12 goals in 44 appearances for Antlers.
Amer, with 43 caps for UAE, speaking about his signing said that he was always looking forward to joining Al Ain.
“I’m a big fan of Al Ain and so I’m happy to be here. I will do my best to fulfil the ambitions of the club and the fans,” said Amer, who is rated just below the level of UAE star Omar Abdul Rahman. With Amer and Omar set to play in tandem, Al Ain has clearly beefed up their midfield ahead of their AFC quarter-final against Uzbekistan’s Lokomotiv in August.
“I have good relationship with both brothers Omar and Mohammad Abdul Rahman and looking forward to playing with them,” added the 27-year-old, who had been with Bani Yas for 10 years.
With these signings it is clear that Brazilian Fellipe Bastos, who had a dismal performance with the club, is on his way out. Caio will fill the spot left by Ryan Babel. And with Danilo Asprilla, South Korea midfielder Lee Myung-joo and Brazilian Douglas retained, Al Ain have completed their foreign signings.
The Club was in a bit of turmoil after Abu Dhabi authorities last month had dissolved the board of directors of Al Ain football club after its players participated in a BMW commercial deemed disrespectful to the UAE’s national anthem.
These positive developments would have given the Al Ain fans huge assurance that all is well and the club is on the right path to redemption.
Meanwhile in other summer signings so far, a fee of €2 million (Dh8.2 million) has been agreed for 27-year-old Moroccan midfielder Abdelaziz Barrada to join Al Nasr from Marseille on a three-year deal.
However, details of a medical and personal terms have yet to be confirmed. If successful, Barrada, who has previously played for Getafe and Al Jazira, will replace Chilean-Palestinian midfielder Luis Jimenez at Al Nasr ahead of their Asian Champions League quarter-final clash with Qatar’s El Jaish in August.
Elsewhere, Fred Rutten has made his first signing as coach of Al Shabab bringing in fellow Dutchman Ruud Boymans, 27, on a three-year deal from FC Utrecht. The striker replaces outgoing Brazilian forward Juninho Potiguar.
Dibba Al Fujairah have also brought in 32-year-old South Korean defender Heo Jae-won from Qatar’s Al Khor and Portuguese former Sporting Lisbon and Hearts of Midlothian coach Paulo Sergio, who replaces Emirates Club bound German tactician Theo Bucker. Al Wasl have also replaced Gabriel Calderon with fellow Argentine coach Rodolfo Arruabarrena formerly of Boca Juniors.
