DUBAI // Ricardo Oliveira looks set to extend his stay in the UAE by another 18 months after agreeing to a switch to Al Wasl.
Replaced by compatriot Jucilei da Silva at Al Jazira last week, the former Brazil international had generated interest from clubs both foreign and domestic, and he has decided to continue his career in the Arabian Gulf League with Wasl.
Hector Cuper, the Wasl coach, made Oliveira his prime target as soon as the striker became available. He will replace the Senegalese Andre Senghor, who has struggled to find a starting spot since the arrival of the Argentine coach at the Zabeel Stadium.
A deal is yet to be signed, but a Wasl spokesman confirmed Oliveira is on his way to the struggling Dubai club, who have managed just one point from their past five league matches.
Oliveira will be the second foreign player to be signed by Wasl in this transfer window after the Argentine midfielder Emmanuel Culio, who arrived from the Spanish club Deportivo La Coruna.
Edson Puch has returned to the team as the Asian player after getting Palestinian citizenship following loan spells at Deportes Iquique in his native Chile.
The club, who have a new board of directors headed by Rashid Belhoul, have also decided to persist with Mariano Donda, which means the Argentine is the only foreign player to keep his place.
Wasl, meanwhile, have lost their No 1 goalkeeper Ahmed Mahmoud, who has signed with AGL leaders Al Ahli and was introduced yesterday morning.
While Oliveira has decided to stay in the UAE, his compatriot Michel Bastos is set to join the Italian club Roma on loan after just six months at Al Ain.
“It’s not done yet, but negotiations are at an advanced stage,” Rudi Garcia, the Roma coach, who worked with Bastos during his time in charge of French club Lille, was quoted as saying on Skysports.com. “I have been tracking this player since he left Lille, going through Lyon, Schalke and Al Ain.
“I always spoke to him and knew this was a possibility for us. Above all, he was very eager to come back to Europe, so I am happy.”
According to some reports, Al Ain have set their sights in Tottenham’s Togolese striker Emmanuel Adebayor as a possible replacement for Bastos.
Nelson Valdez, who has been replaced by Felipe Caicedo at Jazira, is also headed for Italy with reports linking the Paraguayan striker with a move to Bologna.
Elsewhere, the Arabian Gulf League strugglers Al Shaab have approached Baniyas with a loan offer for their goalkeeper Obaid Al Taweela, while their ambitious overtures to bring over Ahmed Khalil on loan have been rejected by Al Ahli.
“We have not received any formal offers from any club and even if we did, we are not going to entertain any offers for Ahmed Khalil, unless it is from a foreign club,” said Ahmed Khalifa, the chief executive of Ahli.
Al Wahda, meanwhile, have made their first move of this transfer window by signing the left-back Sultan Ramadan on a three-and-a-half season deal from the Division One club Kalba.
arizvi@thenational.ae
Follow us on Twitter at @SprtNationalUAE