DUBAI // Felipe Caicedo is set to be introduced as Al Jazira’s second recruit of the winter transfer window after the Ecuadorean striker’s arrival in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
Caicedo, 25, is expected to sign a three-year deal after passing his medical and will replace the Paraguayan striker Nelson Valdez in Walter Zenga’s line-up. Al Jazira have already made it known that Brazilian striker Ricardo Oliveira is available after bringing in the defensive midfielder Jucilei da Silva from the Russia club Anzhi Makhachkala.
Like the Brazilian Jucilei, Caicedo has been turning out in the Russian league since 2011, after moving to Lokomotiv Moscow on a four-year deal for a fee of €7.5 million (Dh37.4m) from Manchester City.
Jazira have received several offers for Oliveira, who is recuperating from a knee injury, since announcing their decision to dispense with the services of the former Brazil international, 33, and Al Wasl have reportedly tabled an official offer.
“We have received some offers for Oliveira and we will study them before making an appropriate decision,” said Ali Al Nuaimi, a Jazira official. “He is a player of a high calibre, a thorough professional and has been of great service to the club since his arrival, and we have nothing but great regard for what he has done.”
It is believed that the Wasl manager Hector Cuper is keen to bring in Oliveira as a replacement for Andre Senghor, the Senegalese striker. Cuper has also decided to keep Mariano Donda, ending weeks of speculation over the Argentine playmaker’s future in the team.
Donda’s impressive performance in the President’s Cup loss to Al Ain, alongside newcomer Emmanuel Culio and Edson Puch in the midfield, seems to have convinced Wasl executives. The Chilean Puch has returned to the team as their Asian player after taking Palestinian citizenship following two years on the sidelines.
Wasl, currently languishing in 10th on the Arabian Gulf League table, have been busy in the transfer market. On Wednesday, they announced the arrival of Saeed Al Kathiri from Al Wahda.
Al Kathiri was expected to join Baniyas and Wahda had announced that at the start of the month, but Wasl came in late to sign the 25-year-old striker and occasional UAE international.
The club have brought in the defenders Hassan Zahran from Al Dhafra, also on a three-and-a-half year deal, and Ahmed Malallah from Dubai. Darwish Ahmed has returned on a six-month loan from Al Nasr.
Nasr have sent out Badr Yaqoot and Masood Hassan to Emirates on loan until the end of the season, while they have brought in the versatile Mahmoud Khamis, from Wahda, on a four-year deal. They have also added Hussain Saleh to their squad, with the midfielder arriving on a six-month loan deal from Emirates.
Wahda, meanwhile, have signed a five-year extension with Hamdan Al Kamali. The new deal will keep the defender at the Abu Dhabi club until 2019.
arizvi@thenational.ae