Al Ain star Michel Bastos is set to sign on loan for AS Roma as they appear to have pipped Serie A rivals Napoli to his signature.
Over the weekend it looked as though Bastos would be heading to Naples, with Al Ain reportedly unimpressed with the midfielder’s form this season.
However, Roma have hijacked the bid and now look set to win the race for the Brazilian’s signature.
Bastos is in Rome today to complete a medical and rubber stamp his loan move to the Italian capital, which will see him team up with his former Lille coach Rudi Garcia.
Speaking after his side’s 3-0 win over Livorno on Saturday, Garcia was full of praise for Al Ain’s Brazilian winger.
"He has excellent technique and a very strong shot, and he can also play as left full-back, which means we will have cover for every position," said the Roma boss.
"I've been following him since he left Lille. He played for Lyon and Schalke and I've always had my eye on him and thought he could be an option for us.
“He really wanted to come back to Europe. He's not only a great quality player, but also a great guy.”
To accommodate Bastos’ departure, the Boss are believed to bringing back Jires Kembo-Ekoto from his loan spell in Qatar.
Despite Bastos’ indifferent form for Al Ain, the move to Italy comes as surprise given the club’s protracted pursuit of the player last summer.
The Brazilian has struggled to find a constant role within Quique Sanchez Flores’ 4-2-3-1 formation since his summer move from Schalke, a situation which has no doubt led to Al Ain allowing him to leave on loan.
The Boss currently lie in 6th place in the Arabian Gulf League, ten points behind current leaders Al Ahli.
