Omar Abdulrahman verbally agrees Al Ain deal, ending Europe talk and boosting Al Hilal hopes

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  • UAE superstar Omar Abdulrahman appears to have shut the door on a long-heralded move to Europe with belief growing he’s verbally agreed to renew his lapsed Al Ain contract for three more years.

    Abdulrahman, 26, had attracted overtures from teams in France, Spain and the Netherlands as a free agent once his deal expired at the Boss in July. This came amid competing, and strong, interest from Saudi Professional League giants Al Hilal – his childhood club in Riyadh as a member of the Yemeni diaspora.

    Aspirations about a historic permanent move to football’s traditional heartland, which began with 2012’s trial at Manchester City, look to have come to naught for the playmaker thanks to the weekend’s concurrence about fresh terms. This means the cost of a permanent transfer west will grow prohibitively large, once pen is put to paper – bar any unexpected late hitches.

    It now remains to be seen whether widespread reports about an imminent one-season loan move to Hilal by the 2016 AFC Player of the Year come to fruition. The SPL holders are stated as having made an offer worth Dh21 million for 2018/19, a figure which capital rivals Al Nassr – who recently captured Nigeria forward Ahmed Musa from Leicester City – have exceeded by Dh3m.

    Sources close to the player describe Hilal as “an option” and “the only Middle East club” he will go to.

    A temporary move back to the city of his birth will deny Amoory the possibility of playing in December’s Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi.

    In April, Boss chairman Ghanim Al Hajeri authoritatively stated his prized asset would be “staying with the club for next season, where we are faced with the most important of challenges.”

    Abdulrahman has grown into a legend with the Arabian Gulf League and President’s Cup holders since he joined their fabled academy in 2007.

    In a decade with the first team, he’s scored 62 times and crafted 114 assists during 229 appearances. A total of 11 major honours have been won in this period.

    A star role with the UAE at the London 2012 Olympics led to a successful trial at City. Work-permit issues then scuppered a first permanent move for an Emirati to Europe.

    Valencia, Hamburg, Arsenal, Benfica and Fenerbahce are among the outfits to further be attached to his name. Al Ain rejected a loan offer from Nice in July 2017.

    Those contacted this summer were prepared to produce offers, on the proviso Amoory remained a free agent.

    Annual wages on the deal signed in February 2015 are estimated at Dh20m. European clubs would need to balloon this figure because of taxation, unless the player was prepared to make significant financial sacrifices.

    Al Ain would now be in position to demand a substantial transfer fee, despite last term’s domestic and international travails.

    This included being ostracised and banned for breaking curfew the night before January 5’s Gulf Cup-final loss to Oman, a match in which he missed decisive penalties at the end of normal time plus the shootout.

    But throughout his spell in the Garden City, talk of an eventual return to Hilal have never dissipated.

    The ascension of Turki Al Sheikh to the General Sports Authority’s chairmanship has led to an enormous injection of state cash into the national sport.

    Hilal have used this largesse since the end of 2017/18 to attract esteemed ex-Sporting Lisbon coach Jorge Jesus, former Spain Under-21 defender Alberto Botia from Olympiacos and tie up a loan switch for Peru’s Benfica-owned forward Andre Carrillo.

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