Renato Caja seals move to the Arabian Gulf League with Sharjah

Matt Jones - Editor 00:03 19/07/2015
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  • Renato Caja scored nine goals in 25 games in 2015.

    Sharjah have sealed a one-year deal for Brazilian attacking midfielder Renato Caja, with the club admitting they have secured one of their “priority” signings.

    The much travelled Renato, 30, put pen to paper after passing a medical on Friday, just in time to join the club as they depart on a pre-season camp to Syria.

    The Ponte Preta player leaves his homeland, where he has already scored nine goals in 25 games in 2015, for a fee believed to be €2m (Dh7.9m).

    Sharjah media officer Adel Al Hammadi said the King’s new recruit had been a long-time target of coach Paulo Bonamigo, while last season’s 17-goal Arabian Gulf League striker Wanderley had previously played with him.

    “Renato is someone we have been looking at for a while, he was one of our priority targets,” said Al Hammadi.

    “Bonamigo knows him and he was one of the coach’s targets. There were lots of names but he was near the top of the list, and he has also played before with Wanderley at Ponte Preta.”

    Caja himself tweeted: “I would like to thank all of the Ponte Preta players, fans and technical committee. This is my time. It’s time to go.”

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    Al Hammadi admitted the club are now targeting another midfielder or striker to fulfill their foreign quota, with Wanderley and defender Mauricio Ramos retained from last season.

    Elsewhere, Fujairah look to have completed their quota too, with the double swoop for Christophe Mandanne from Guingamp and Patrick Friday Eze from Serbian Super Liga side Mladost Lucani.

    Mandanne, 30, was recommended to the club by manager Ivan Hasek, who knows the player well from his time coaching in France.

    Eze’s signing was announced by allnigeriasoccer.com. He was the top scorer in the Serbian top flight last season, the 22-year-old netting 15 times in 26 games.

    They join Madjid Bougherra and Hassan Maatouk as Fujairah’s four foreign representatives.

    German Theo Bucker, meanwhile, has penned a deal to become newly-promoted Dibba Al Fujairah’s manager.

    The ex-Lebanon national team boss was sacked by Nejmeh last month.

    Elsewhere, Al Ahli chairman Abdullah Al Naboodah says the club are not compelled to make a marquee signing unless the player is guaranteed to improve the team.

    The Red Knights have been heavily linked with Chile’s Copa America star Eduardo Vargas, but Al Naboodah told the club’s website: “Bringing professional players doesn’t necessarily imply big names.

    “We need players who are enthusiastic and determined and who are ready to sacrifice to uphold the team’s name. It is easy to find players, but we seek only those who can achieve the team’s goals.”

    ESPN have reported that Schalke and Peru winger Jefferson Farfan has agreed a move to the UAE to join Al Jazira.

    Sources claim the Pride of Abu Dhabi have agreed a fee with the German giants for the 30-year-old, with Farfan expected to sign a three-year deal subject to a medical.

    Jazira have been looking to complete their foreign quartet since a deal with AS Roma for Gervinho was abandoned last month.

    Reports in Germany first linked Farfan with a move to the Middle East on Wednesday.

    Jucilei has already left Jazira for China and Manuel Lanzini went on loan to West Ham United from last year’s foreign contingent.

    Burkina Faso international Jonathan Pitroipa is also expected to depart to make way for Farfan, with Brazilian attacking midfielder Thiago Neves and South Korean defensive midfielder Park Chong-woo having already joined last season’s top AGL scorer Mirko Vucinic at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium.

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