Luis Jimenez unsettled in Al Ahli as Bani Yas monitors club captain

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Not happy with the situation: Luis Jimenez (l) is said to be unhappy at Al Ahli, particular after the club let go Hugo Viana and good friend Grafite recently

     Arabian Gulf League rivals Bani Yas head a quartet of clubs looking to take advantage of captain Luis Jimenez’s growing discontent at Al Ahli.

    – PLAY: Sport360 World Cup Stick Cricket 
    – #360view: Al Ahli ruthless but ultimately correct to axe hero Grafite

    Jimenez, 30, has excelled since joining the Red Knights in August 2011. But the dismantling of last season’s treble winners has forced the attacking midfielder to con­sider his future, an exit before the close of the winter transfer window on February 12 now possible.

    The Sky Blues have been joined by Argentine Primera Division holders Racing Club, Chinese Super League runners-up Beijing Guoan and Chilean Primera Division out­fit Colo-Colo in registering inter­est with club and player.

    Jimenez has less than six months remain­ing on the four-year deal inked on arrival, a €1-2 million (Dh4.2m-8.3m) fee needed to tempt Ahli into countenancing a sale.

    The 26-times capped Chile inter­national first grew unsettled when Hugo Viana was jettisoned to Al Wasl in the summer, this feeling of unhappiness growing upon close friend Grafite’s sale to Qatar’s Al Sadd last Monday.

    “Grafite and Jimenez’s fam­ily used to socialise together when they were in Dubai and to see him leave has upset him,” a source close to the player said.

    “A move away is now possible in the next week, with several clubs already expressing interest in him. Offers have been made to Ahli, but none have been accepted yet – let’s see what happens.”

    Jimenez would get the chance to play in the Copa Libertadores – South America’s leading club competition – with Racing Club.

    A move back to his homeland at Colo-Colo would now have to wait until the summer as the market is closed there unless he was released as a free agent, but the opportunity excites as it would open up the pos­sibility of representing the national side for the first time in four years.

    Jimenez remains highly-valued in the continent he currently plays in, his joint Chilean-Palestinian nationality meaning he can fill an Asian player slot in the four-man foreign quota.

    Bani Yas are still considering whether to dispense with injury-plagued current incumbent Kim Jung-Woo, of South Korea.

    The extent of the ex-Internazi­onale star’s disquiet was revealed when speaking to reporters after Wednesday’s 2-0 top-flight win against Sharjah, a match in which new non-Emiratis Oussama Assaidi and Everton Ribeiro debuted.

    “I am happy here, but you never know what can happen in football,” Jimenez said. “Grafite is one of my best friends, we arrived together here [in 2011].

    “We met all the time outside of training, our families are friends. After three years and six months, he leaves us.

    “In football it is very hard to find people like Grafite. This happened with Hugo Viana, as well.

    “You can always find good players but finding good people in football is very difficult. This is football.”

    Recommended