Al Wasl star Caio begins contract talks as clubs from Brazil, Qatar, Italy and Spain hover

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  • In demand: Caio Canedo (l) in action for Al Nasr (PLC).

    All-action forward Caio Canedo has revealed contract talks have begun with Arabian Gulf League pacesetters Al Wasl, as clubs from his native Brazil, Qatar, Italy and Spain eagerly await developments.

    Canedo, 27, has proved an excellent addition since he was snapped up from Internacional – initially on loan, before a €1.4 million (Dh5.8m) permanent swoop – in September 2014. An impressive 46 goals in 80 top-flight run-outs have followed from the selfless star, helping propel the Cheetahs from a relegation-threatened rabble upon arrival to current title chasers.

    Fellow attacking inspiration Fabio De Lima inked an extension from 2020 to 2022 last week. Discussions about a similar renewal for his compatriot are now under way.

    “The talks have already started,” said Canedo in the wake of Friday’s 3-0 dismantling of Shabab Al Ahli Dubai Club. “Fabio went in first, because his situation and my situation are a little bit different.

    “We are walking forward in the same way, it depends on the administration.

    “I always try to play football and let my agent [Giuseppe Dioguardi] do his job.

    “There is speculations. There are lots of teams in Brazil interested, also a team in Qatar.

    “Something showed up in Italy and Spain, too. I don’t want to think about it.

    “I want to do a good season and for the administration to sit with me and finish this as quickly as possible.”

    Canedo and De Lima have elevated their employers to new levels since they both joined in the build-up to 2014/15. A pair of sixth-placed finishes followed under coach Gabriel Calderon, before another Argentine in Rodolfo Arruabarrena sparked a remarkable rise to second last term and put them joint top with Al Ain at the winter break.

    No trophies have followed in this time, the closest being runs in the last two seasons to the semi-finals of the Arabian Gulf Cup. This is a situation Canedo is determined to change.

    He said: “I really want to win something with Al Wasl. Myself and Fabio have been here for four seasons and we want to win something, putting our photo on their wall.”

    Canedo was not able to add to his seven-goal haul in his 11th AGL display of the season, against ramshackle Shabab Al Ahli. But he drew fouls for De Lima and Anthony Caceres’ stunning free-kicks, robbing the ball off dawdling centre-back Walid Abbas to allow Ronaldo Mendes to slot in the second.

    “The feeling is great,” he said. “I wish I had scored and it would be even better.

    “I am joking, of course. Since we drew two games against smaller teams, Hatta and Ajman, we came into this game with a little bit of pressure.

    “Finishing the first leg at the top means a lot. Our team was prepared for this since the first game.

    “We continue to think that we have everything to be champions. We want to make history, man.

    “This was our 26th game, straight, we didn’t lose [in all competitions]. We are breaking records after records.

    “Hopefully, we can continue like this.”

    Wasl sit top of the AG Cup’s Group B and next play Al Wahda in it on Thursday.

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