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Pro League January transfer window review

With the January transfer window officially having closed on Monday 4th February, all transfer dealings and changes to the UAE Pro League clubs’ squad personnel for the second half of the 2012-2013 season can now be rounded up. Several Pro League clubs had a very active transfer window, with changes in both local and foreign playing staff, although some squads remained largely intact. Al Jazira, Al Ain and Al Shabab kept their foreign quota the same, with Al Jazira holding onto Brazilian duo Fernando Da Silva and Ricardo de Oliveira, Argentine Matias Delgado, and South Korea’s Hyungmin Shin, whilst Al Ain retained the services of Frenchman Jires Kembo-Ekoko, Ghanaian star striker Asamoah Gyan, Romanian Mirel Radoi and Australian Alex Brosque, although they lost one homegrown player in the form of Mohammed Nasser, who moved on to Al Wasl. Al Shabab coach Marcos Paqueta also chose to preserve his four foreign players for the remainder of the season: Haydarov Azizbek of Uzbekistan, and the Brazilian trio Ciel, Edgar Bruno and Luiz Henrique.

Kalba release scorer Daoudi

Ittihad Kalba Club made a number of changes to their roster of players during the January transfer window, notably releasing Moroccan striker Nabil Al Daoudi and Brazilian defensive midfielder Sergio Paulo, and adding two new foreign players to their ranks. Edward Sadomba of Zimbabwe and Brazilian player Junior Marques now make up Kalba’s overseas complement. There was also an addition of local talent, with Mohamed Malalla and Ali Mahmoud signing on loan from Al Ain and Al Wasl respectively.

Al Ahli secured a headline signing in the form of Portugal international Ricardo Quaresma, who joins the Pro League with a very impressive CV, having played previously for Porto, Barcelona, Internazionale, Chelsea and Besiktas. Quaresma takes the place of Cameroonian Achille Emana, who transferred to Al Wasl on loan, whilst The Knights kept their other three overseas players as Chilean Luis Antonio Jiminez, Brazilian Grafite and Lebanese Yousif Mohamed. In a local transfer, Adnan Hussain moved to Al Ahli from Bani Yas.

Al Wasl made three changes to their foreign quota, releasing Australian defender Lucas Neil, Argentine Mariano Donda and Egyptian Shikabala, to be replaced by the incoming transfers of Brazilian striker Jussie Ferreira, Iraqi defender Ahmed Ibrahim and Cameroonian midfielder Achille Emana. Uruguayan striker Emiliano Alfaro remains as the fourth overseas player at the Al Wasl Stadium.

Al Shaab bolster squad in an attempt to boost results

Al Shaab unveiled five new signings during the January transfer window as they aim to strengthen their squad and improve on their first half of the season. They have signed the veteran former Al Ain, Al Wahda, Emirates Club and UAE goalkeeper Mutaz Abdullah, along with Saeed Mubarak, formerly of Hatta and Al Nasr, plus another local player in the form of Ali Rabei, previously with Al Wasl and Emirates Club. Replacing the duo departing Brazilians Careca and Rodrigo Souza, Al Shaab have welcomed two new overseas signings; midfielder Filipe Teixeira from Portugal and Zimbabwean defender Noel Kaseki.

Al Dhafra let go the Omani player Fawzi Bashir in January, replacing him with the Brazilian Rodrigo Souza, who transferred from Al Shaab, and joins the foreign complement of Senegalese Mackhete Diop, Jordanian Anas Bani Yassen and Ivorian Amara Diane at the Hamdan bin Zayed Stadium.

Bani Yas held onto two of their overseas players, the Australian Nick Carle and Senegalese Andre Senghor, whilst adding two new foreign faces to the ranks. Full Sweden international Christian Wilhelmsson joins from LA Galaxy in place of the departed Moroccan Ismail Belmaalem, and Egyptian star Mohamed Aboutrika signed on loan from Al Ahli of Egypt, replacing his compatriot Mohamed Zidan, who was released despite still having over a year left to run on his contract.

Al Nasr made one foreign trade, bringing in young Japanese striker Takayuki Morimoto in place of Iraqi midfielder Nashat Akram, whilst keeping hold of Brazilian duo Bruno Cesar and Linardo Lima, and Italian striker Giuseppe Mascara. Al Nasr also added a new local player to their squad list, signing former Al Wasl player Essa Ali.

Keeping hold of Senegalese attacker Papa Waigo and Croatian Srdan Andric, Al Wahda added the Australian defender Dino Djulbic to their squad list this January, bringing the 29-year old in from Chinese club Guizhue Renhe. Al Wahda also re-registered Brazilian player Marcelinho in place of the Gabon international Eric Mouloungui, who got injured in the 15th round. Meanwhile, Dibba Al Fujairah terminated the contracts of Syrian player Abdul Razak Al Hussein and Brazilian Junior Da Silva, replacing the departed players with Brazilian Luiz Fernando and Ghanaian Samuel Ocran. 

Dubai release Guinean Feindouno

Dubai Cultural and Sports Club made the decision to release Guinean player Simon Feindouno due to ongoing health and fitness problems, which the Club claims prohibited him from playing, whilst Hassan Keita also exited the Club. Two new Brazilian players arrived in their places - Juliano Roberto and Careca – joining compatriot Magrao, and Australian striker Richard Porta, who had a very successful first half of the season. 

Ajman’s squad changes extended to bringing in Omani player Fawzi Bashir from Al Dhafra and Driss Fettouhi from Morocco, joining their foreign contingent of Ivorian Boris Kabi and Founeke Sy of Mali, whilst Iraq international midfielder Karrar Jassim was let go.