ABU DHABI // Carlos Munoz is facing the axe after failing to report on time for Baniyas’s preseason training.

The Chile forward is the only foreign player Baniyas has retained from last season.

Munoz delayed his arrival in Abu Dhabi and did not consult the club, a decision that does not seem to have gone down well with the management.

“He was granted an extension but that period has passed and we haven’t heard from him until now. The club management is disappointed,” said Khaled Al Junaibi, a club spokesman.

Munoz has a three-year contract up to 2016 and impressed last season, scoring 14 goals as the club finished ninth.

Meanwhile, Jose Rojas, the Chile international defender, has been linked with a move to Baniyas by Chilean media.

The Universidad de Chile defender played 12 minutes for Chile at the World Cup, coming on in extra time in the last-16 defeat to Brazil.

“We are not in a position to reveal any names because the club is in talks with several players at the moment,” Al Junaibi said when asked if Rojas would be one of the club’s new signings.

“The management is consulting the new coach [Luis Garcia] before arriving on any decisions. Up to now there are no confirmations on any player.”

Garcia watched his new team from the stands as they went down to Al Hidd of Bahrain 2-0 in the opening match of the Ramadan Cup, a four-team friendly tournament at Baniyas stadium on Wednesday night.

“There are lots of things that need to be done and we have two months to sort them out,” said Garcia, who will take charge of the team after the tournament.

“I wasn’t too interested in the result, but it wasn’t a good performance. Of course there are many reasons for that. The players were coming back after a long break, and the weather conditions weren’t ideal.”

apassela@thenational.ae