Al Ain turn to Amer Abdulrahman with Fellipe Bastos on way out

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  • Wanted man: Amer Abdulrahman.

    Al Ain hope to secure UAE star Amer Abdulrahman as one of the centrepieces of their assault on silverware next term and have made Fellipe Bastos surplus to requirements.

    Detailed discussions have been under way for the past week between the remaining Boss hierarchy and newly-retained coach Zlatko Dalic about the club’s summer transfer moves, as they attempt to unseat Al Ahli in the Arabian Gulf League and lift the 2016 AFC Champions League.

    This has seen them initially decide to ditch only Brazilian Bastos, 26, from their four-player foreign quota, with a pacy left winger wanted to compliment Colombian speedster Danilo Asprilla.

    It is planned that the void in centre midfield will be filled by Bani Yas stalwart Amer Abdulrahman.

    The 27-year-old’s control of tempo and aggression in the tackle has piqued the interest of Dalic.

    The Croatian has been granted more input into the recruitment process since a boardroom cull saw him go from the exit door to a fresh one-year contract under His Highness Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Adviser, Deputy Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council and vice-president of the Boss.

    The Abu Dhabi royal is a keen supporter of the 49-year-old, unlike the previous regime who have all made way since they were dismissed last week because of a controversial television advert.

    A temporary committee is set to be named in the coming days as Sheikh Hazza reinserts his control of the UAE’s most-decorated club.

    The current scheme means South Korea midfielder Lee Myung-joo, plus January arrivals Asprilla and 18-goal striker Douglas are secure in the Garden City.

    This is not the case for Bastos, whose stay is set to end a year after his purchase from Vasco Da Gama.

    The ex-PSV Eindhoven and Benfica player is to pay the cost for both the recalibration of the squad and a slump in form during the second half of a season, in which he scored six times in 39 appearances.

    Al Ain are aware the operation to secure 44-cap Abdulrahman will be fraught with difficulties.

    The Sky Blues have vigorously fended off previous advances from AGL clubs, with the only weakness in their stance seeing a trial granted to Blackburn Rovers during July 2013.

    Meanwhile, the top flight’s governing body has formed its new Executive Office. The Pro League Committee’s freshly-established leadership is to be headed by Abdulla Naser Al Junaibi, who combines his duty as chairman in that organisation with being a vice-president of the UAE Football Association.

    Joining him in Friday’s opening meeting in the PLC’s Abu Dhabi headquarters are Yousef Mohamed Rasool Khoory, Mohammed Ahmed Al Hammadi, Jamal Hamad Thani Al Marri and Abdulhamid Al Mestaka.

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