Al Jazira’s summer clearout has started to take shape after they informed foreign trio Jefferson Farfan, Thiago Neves and Angel Lafita they are all up for sale.
The Pride of Abu Dhabi want to transform President’s Cup success into a push for redemption in the Arabian Gulf League following last term’s woeful seventh-placed finish. A recalibration of their four-player non-Emirati quota is key to this.
The three players were told of the club’s desire earlier this week at their summer camp in the Netherlands.
Peru forward Farfan, 31, is not short on suitors despite seeing a serious ankle injury end his debut campaign in November after a €6 million (Dh24.2m) move from Schalke 04. Clubs have already registered interest in him from the Premier League and Bundesliga.
Intriguingly, coach Henk ten Cate is pushing to retain the ex-PSV Eindhoven star after a series of blistering performances in training. This could yet see a U-turn performed.
A fine end to 2015/16 has not proved enough to save Neves, who ended up scoring 14 times in 41 matches. With the window for foreign-based players closed in Brazil, a return to Saudi Arabia seems most likely for the playmaker recruited for €11m (Dh45m) from giants Al Hilal in June 2015.
There is no surprise that underwhelming attacking playmaker Lafita, 31, is unwanted. The Spaniard failed to score in 14 games after a January switch from Getafe. Jazira currently intend to keep Montenegro striker Mirko Vucinic, 32, who is back with the team after serious knee ligament damage sidelined him in November. He has scored 27 goals in as many games since a July 2014 move from Juventus.
South Korea defensive midfielder Park Jong-woo, 27, will link up with them next week after finishing national service.
Meanwhile, Al Wahda have issued their intent to challenge for glory on all fronts next term after they agreed a switch for 2016 K League Classic joint top scorer Tiago Alves.
Alves, 23, will sign a three-year deal in the coming days after a fee was agreed with Brazilian parent club Penapolense. The forward has excelled on loan at Seongnam FC this year, notching 13 times during 18 league appearances in South Korea.
The player is set to undergo medical examinations in the coming days ahead of joining his new team-mates in Spain for a summer training camp.
He replaces compatriot Denilson in the Arabian Gulf Cup holders’ four-player foreign quota. The 28-year-old defensive midfielder was dispatched on a temporary contract to Cruzeiro on Tuesday after Clarets boss Javier Aguirre pursued an increased attacking threat.
Once finalised, Alves will help form a strong non-Emirati quartet alongside Chile playmaker Jorge Valdivia, 25-goal AGL leading marksman Sebastian Tagliabue and South Korea defender Rim Chang-woo.
Wahda finished third in the top flight last term, which was enough to secure a play-off spot for the 2017 AFC Champions League.
