Al Nasr have signed Lebanon defender Joan Oumari from Turkish side Sivasspor on a two-and-a-half-year deal.
The centre-back, 28, agreed personal terms and then passed his medical with the Dubai club on Tuesday and takes the Asian spot in the squad from Mohannad Abdulraheem. The Iraqi striker, signed only in October, is expected to remain at Al Maktoum Stadium until the summer.
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Oumari, who was born in Germany and spent the majority of his professional career there before moving last year to Turkey, could be available for Thursday’s President’s Cup quarter-final against Al Ain. He has previously represented the Lebanese national team.
With Oumari signed, Nasr’s foreign contingent currently consists of six players, including Wanderley, Abdelaziz Barrada, Jires Kembo Ekoko and Jonathan Pitroipa. The club have not ruled out doing more business this month, but it seems likely Wanderley, Barrada, Kembo Ekoko and Oumari will make up their allocated four foreign slots for the second half of the 2016/17 season.
Pitroipa, meanwhile, will represent Burkino Faso at the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations. The West Africans begin their campaign against Cameroon on January 14.
Elsewhere, Al Wahda’s pursuit of Omar Khribin has ended after Al Dhafra changed their mind and decided against selling the player. The forward, one of the league’s standout players last season, was close to completing a move to the Abu Dhabi club, but Dhafra said they needed Khribin for the remainder of the season. The Western Region side, who last week lost captain Makhete Diop to Al Ahli, have apologised to Wahda for the U-turn.
jmcauley@thenational.ae
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