Dubai: Al Wasl have signed Brazilian attacking midfielder Vinicius Morreira de Lima on a season-long loan from Gremio.
The 22-year-old, who also had loan spells with Mallorca and Ceara, will fit in alongside retained Brazilians Caio Canedo Correa, Fabio Lima and Ronaldo Mendes, and replaces Australian loanee Anthony Caceres who returns to Melbourne City.
Lima is new Al Wasl coach Gustavo Quinteros’ first signing since replacing fellow Argentine Rodolfo Arruabarrena over the summer.
Elsewhere, Al Nasr’s new Brazilian striker Iury Lirio Freitas de Castilho has told Brazilian press that he expects to fit right in, in the UAE, after joining from the Ukraine’s Zorya Luhansk.
“I do not expect to find any problem in adapting to the atmosphere in the UAE, and just as I managed to adapt in the first season in the Ukraine, I expect to live positively with this different experience,” he said.
“The Gulf has developed a lot in recent years and we have seen many stars who have had successful experiences in the UAE league. It is not, as some think, an easy competition. The player must do everything to prove it is a successful deal.
“I am very excited about this experience and have a great desire to compete in next season’s championship. Professionalism in the Ukraine has been a positive adventure for me, but when I received an offer from Al Nasr, I did not think twice and agreed immediately. I am very happy to move to the UAE.”
Lirio’s move to Al Nasr was announced in June and under Serbian coach Ivan Jovanovic he will feature alongside fellow Brazilian striker Samuel Rosa, who joined from Hatta, French former Newcastle midfielder Yohan Cabaye, who came in from Crystal Palace, and retained Lebanese defender Joan Oumari.
