Ivorian midfielder Bakary Sare joined Al Ain on Monday night on a day that also saw the club embark on a ‘new era’ unveiling their pristine new stadium, kit and club badge.
The Boss announced a tie-up with American sportswear giants Nike as well as a re-branding of their logo as they officially unveiled their new 25,000-seater home, the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium.
And they could have a fresh face on display there against Al Dhafra this Friday after the Arabian Gulf League champions confirmed the capture of Sare from Croatian side Dynamo Zagrab on a six-month loan deal.
The 23-year-old, a product of Anderlecht’s youth system, arrived in the Garden City yesterday evening before undergoing a medical and putting pen to paper.
The defensive midfielder joins the Boss from Dynamo, where he made just seven starts since a reported €500,000 (Dh2.49million) switch from CFR Cluj in Romania last July.
Al Ain were on the lookout for a new foriegn recruit as Michel Bastos completed his loan move to Roma, sealing a reunion with his former Lille boss, Rudi Garcia.
Earlier, the club revealed their new badge design was the result of an “extensive consultation process with fans, management and branding experts” and represents “a fresh interpretation of the famous Al Jahili Fort as its centrepiece and prominently features ‘1968’, the year Al Ain was formed.”
The club worked with image experts Siegel+Gale – whose previous clients have included Manchester United, Renault Formula 1 and the NBA – on the rebrand.
Ghanem Mubarak Al Hajeri, Chairman Al Ain Sports Games said: “Al Ain is an established sports entity that works according to its ambition and strategy. All this is thanks to the vision of our leadership. The new logo reflects the goals, ambitions and aspirations of the club in the coming period, which focuses on ‘home of football in the UAE’, the slogan Al Ain Club is adopting with the launch of Hazza Bin Zayed stadium.”
Al Ain fans hoping to see their heroes in action can guarantee their place in the stands with season tickets available from Dh400.
Al Ain host Al Dhafra in their plush new surroundings on Friday, as part of ‘The Big Kick-Off’ weekend of celebrations from January 23-25.
The festival will host activities as varied as show jumping, juggling and BMX racing, with the focus on encouraging families, particularly the younger members, to become involved in sports.
