Al Ain are confident Rashed Essa can rediscover the form and fitness that made him one of the hottest prospects in UAE football.
The 23-year-old winger announced himself on the world stage when he scored a fine goal to briefly bring the UAE level against Great Britain at Wembley at the 2012 London Olympics.
Essa also started Mahdi Ali’s first two games in charge of the senior national team, but since then injuries have limited him to just 13 league appearances – and only one in the recently concluded season.
But despite his time on the sidelines, the Boss hope their new loan signing from Al Wasl can help spearhead their challenge in the AFC Champions League.
“Rashed Essa is maybe the best player in the UAE,” Al Ain board member Mohammed Obaid Al Dhaheri said. “He played in London and he played well. He is a good technical player and okay he has not played for two years but I think we have quality players to help him.
“I think he is a good player who can help Al Ain in Asia."
Essa was unveiled at the Sheikh Khalifa International Stadium on Tuesday night after completing a season-long move from the Cheetahs.
Al Dhaheri confirmed that the Boss have the option to make the deal permanent should he impress in the Garden City, while the player himself revealed his eagerness to help the club fight for trophies.
His first action in an Al Ain shirt, alongside fellow new recruit Lee Myung-joo, will come against Al Ittihad in the AFC Champions League quarter-final first leg.
And having made it to the last eight for the first time in eight years, the Boss have set their sights on winning Asian club football’s biggest prize for a second time.
“I think it would be good for Al Ain to start this year how we finished last year,” Al Dhaheri added. “If we make it to the last eight in Asia, then I think we must play in the final.
“Al Ain has won the cup in 2003 and I think we have made a good campaign this year and we are bringing in new players, and inshallah we hope we can get to the final and win the cup.”
Meanwhile, former Al Ain striker Boubacar Sanogo has signed with newly promoted AGL club Fujairah. The Ivory Coast international scored 43 goals in 54 league appearances for the Boss between 2002 and 2005 before moving to Germany with Kaiserslautern.
Having spent time with Hamburg, Werder Bremen, Hoffenheim and St Etienne, the 31-year-old arrives back in the UAE following two years with Bundesliga 2 side Energie Cottbus.
