Shabab Al Ahli Dubai Club swoop for Santos playmaker Emiliano Vecchio

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  • New coach Jose Luis Sierra’s imprint at Shabab Al Ahli Dubai Club has strengthened after a reunion was arranged with Santos playmaker Emiliano Vecchio.

    Vecchio, 29, has been given permission to travel to the UAE and undergo a medical ahead of a one-season loan with a view to purchase. If the deal goes through, it will unite a pair who together won Chile’s Campeonato Nacional Apertura in 2015 at Colo Colo.

    “Emiliano Vecchio has been released to travel and will take exams to sign a contract with Shabab Al Ahli Dubai Club,” Brazil giants Santos tweeted about the Argentine. “The agreement is a loan contract for one year, with option to purchase at the end of the period.”

    An extensive summer refit after the merged club’s tough inaugural season has already seen Ecuador striker Jaime Ayovi drafted in from Beijing Renhe and Argentina attacking midfielder Mauro Diaz procured from FC Dallas.

    Moldova forward Henrique Luvannor has trained throughout pre-season and could be retained. The Arabian Gulf League no longer requires an Asian-qualified player in the foreign quartet.

    Vecchio comes to the club after one goal in 41 appearances for Santos. He boasts previous Middle East experience, notching four times in 11 QNB Stars League matches for Qatar SC in 2015/16.

    In the domestic market, last term’s fifth-placed finishers – under the departed Mahdi Ali – have brought back 2015 AFC Player of the Year Ahmed Khalil after a well-travelled 2017/18 and landed coveted Al Dhafra centre midfielder Abdullah Al Naqbi.

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