Al Ahli will celebrate the Arabian Gulf League-record arrival of Moussa Sow at a press conference this afternoon after they completed the landmark €17 million (Dh70.6m) deal with Fenerbahce.
Sow, 29, was announced as a Red Knights player late on Tuesday night once he had successfully undergone medical examinations in his native France.
The Senegal international is set to fly to Dubai on Wednesday morning, his historic purchase coming at an even greater cost to the ambitious top-flight title chasers than the celebrated transfers which brought the likes of Asamoah Gyan to Al Ain and Ricardo Oliveira to Al Jazira.
The former Rennes and Lille star will be joined by fellow new boy Lima, who has scored four goals in three games since his €7m (Dh28.4m) move from Benfica.
“Al Ahli have reached an agreement with Fenerbahce for the contract with Moussa Sow,” a club statement read. “The player had medical tests earlier in France and will be in Dubai on Wednesday.
“He will sign with the club and be presented to the media with fellow new player Lima.”
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The move had been expected since the Turkish giants announced on Friday they had agreed a €16m (Dh66.5m) fee, a further €1m (Dh4.1m) going to the player to end a successful three-year stay, which brought 52 goals in 107 appearances plus the 2013-14 Super Lig title.
Sow is expected to slot in on the left wing of boss Cosmin Olaroiu’s favoured 4-2-3-1 formation.
He will not be available for this season’s AFC Champions League as registration closed last month – the Red Knights currently holding a 1-0 quarter-final, first-leg advantage over Iran’s Naft Tehran.
The switch will see Oussama Assaidi drop out of the four-player foreign quota, though he may be retained for continental duty.
