A week after calling off their bid to bring Jorge Valdivia back to the Arabian Gulf League, Fujairah are back in the hunt with a renewed offer and look set to get their man, according to reports in Brazil.
Fujairah, who returned to the top flight after finishing second in division one last season, made international headlines last month when they claimed they had secured the Chilean playmaker in a stunning deal.
Valdivia, 30, arrived in the country on July 18 to sign the contract, it was thought, but flew out two days later on the day he was to be introduced at a news conference.
Fujairah, at the time, had claimed he was returning home because of his wife’s illness.
A few days later the club conceded the deal had fallen apart, with rumours claiming that interest from another AGL club was responsible for Valdivia’s change of heart.
The Chilean has not contacted his Brazil club, Palmeiras, since his return from the UAE, with reports suggesting he is vacationing in Miami, but Furlan Osorio, who owns 36 per cent of the player’s rights and invested €2 million (Dh9.8m) to bring him to the Brazilian club in 2010 after two seasons at Al Ain, is confident Valdivia will be a Fujairah player in the coming days.
“Valdivia will go to Al Fujairah now,” Osorio was quoted as saying on Brazilian website Globoesporte.
“I believe the transfer has been finalised after analysing the details of what had already been discussed.”
According to reports in Brazil, Fujairah had offered €4 million (Dh19.7m) for the player, which did not meet Osorio’s estimation. Valdivia also wanted a better deal for himself, increasing his demands after agreeing to personal terms.
The club have returned with a renewed €5.5m offer, to be paid in five instalments.
Should Valdivia choose to turn down the new offer he will have to look for another club, as Osorio has ruled out a return to Palmeiras, who own 54 per cent of the player’s right.
At US$400,000 (Dh1.5m) a month, Valdivia is the highest-paid player at Palmeiras, but the Sao Paulo club, who are struggling with their finances, are keen to get him off their roster.
“He will not be back at Palmeiras,” Osorio said.
“There could be other options, though we don’t know them yet. We will get a clearer picture in the coming days.
“This has been a soap opera, but I believe it will have a happy ending.”
Palmeiras officials have refused to comment on the situation until they speak to Valdivia.
“We are waiting to hear back from him,” Carlos Brunoro, the chief executive of Palmeiras, told the Lancenet newspaper.
“We would like to first talk to the player to find out what really happened.
“So let us wait. We cannot talk about something when do not have the details.”
Officials at Fujairah refused to comment on the reports as Sharif Al Awadhi, the vice chairman of the club stated: “At this moment, we have nothing to say from our side.”
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Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.
Muguruza's singles career in stats
WTA titles 3
Prize money US$11,128,219 (Dh40,873,133.82)
Wins / losses 293 / 149
More coverage from the Future Forum
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The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.
He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.
“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.
“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.
HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon.
With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Timeline
2012-2015
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May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
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December 2024
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May 2025
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July 2025
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The bio
His favourite book - 1984 by George Orwell
His favourite quote - 'If you think education is expensive, try ignorance' by Derek Bok, Former President of Harvard
Favourite place to travel to - Peloponnese, Southern Greece
Favourite movie - The Last Emperor
Favourite personality from history - Alexander the Great
Role Model - My father, Yiannis Davos
Keep it fun and engaging
Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.
“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.
His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.
He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.
What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.
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2nd Test August 3-7 in Colombo
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Queens of the Stone Age
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All the Money in the World
Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Charlie Plummer, Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Williams, Christopher Plummer
Four stars
ASHES SCHEDULE
First Test
November 23-27 (The Gabba, Brisbane)
Second Test
December 2-6 (Adelaide Oval, Adelaide)
Third Test
December 14-18 (Waca Ground, Perth)
Fourth Test
December 26-30 (Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne)
Fifth Test
January 4-8, 2018 (Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney)
SPECS
Toyota land Cruiser 2020 5.7L VXR
Engine: 5.7-litre V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 362hp
Torque: 530Nm
Price: Dh329,000 (base model 4.0L EXR Dh215,900)
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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