Al Jazira have begun gearing up for the new season after they announced the purchases of midfielders Salem Abdulla and Humaid Ahmed, as well as the return of two-time former-coach Jan Versleijen as an assistant.
The moves for Abdulla, 30, and Ahmed, 28, mark the first incom- ings into the President’s Cup holders this summer. Confirmation of their expected transfers finally arrived late on Thursday, with the former joining from Al Wasl in exchange for erratic right-back Khalid Sabeal, 29, and latter from relegated Fujairah.
Versleijen’s comeback adds another Dutchman to a technical staff which includes coach Henk ten Cate and fellow assistant Piet Hamberg. The 60-year-old previously led the club from 2001-03 and 2006-07.
The Pride of Abu Dhabi are looking to build on last term’s cup triumph and forget the painful memories of their disappointing seventh-placed finish in the Arabian Gulf League.
Talks continue for Al Ain pair Mohammed Fawzi and Ibrahim Diaky. They remain hopeful that a consensus can be reached in the coming days.
UAE right-back Fawzi, 26, would add significant quality to a defence which was the third-worst in 2015/16, while 34-year-old centre midfielder Diaky previously scored 52 times in 215 appearances at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium from 2005-13.
Of the confirmed additions, Abdulla failed to find the back of the net in 16 AGL games last term. He is a youth product from Al Ain, for whom he debuted a decade ago.
Ahmed is a box-to-box midfielder who scored once in 12 top-flight matches in 2015/16. He made his bow for Sharjah in 2008, later moving to Al Nasr in 2012 for a two-year spell.
Versleijen is a well-travelled coach, who has been unemployed since he left South Africa’s Ajax Cape Town in 2013.
