ABU DHABI // Balazs Dzsudzsak has said there were two factors that made him turn towards Arabian Gulf League side Al Wahda.
“Firstly, the offer from Wahda was the best I received from any clubs, and secondly, I was overwhelmed with the Wahda manager Javier Aguirre’s approach towards me,” the Hungary captain said when officially presented at the Grand Millennium Hotel Al Wahda on Wednesday.
Dzsudzsak excelled at Euro 2016, scoring twice against eventual champions Portugal in a 3-3 draw in the group stage before his team bowed out to Belgium 4-0 in the Round of 16.
“I thought I would get a few offers from that performance from me and my team, but none were good enough compared to the offer from Wahda,” said Dzsudzsak, the first Hungarian to ply his trade in the UAE.
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Dzsudzsak, 29, was given a warm welcome by the club’s fans. He crosses over from Turkish club Bursaspor on a €3 million (Dh12.2m) deal for two years.
“Wahda was the only club that showed lot of interest on me and the manager was quite keen to get me onboard,” Dzsudzsak said.
“I was also happy and surprised as Aguirre still remembered me from my time at PSV.
“I played against Atletico Madrid and he was the coach of that team at the time. So you are in the best situation as the coach knows you and he wants you in the team.”
Dzsudzsak is confident that his move to the UAE will not affect his international career.
“I always want to give 100 per cent for whomever I play,” he said. “I have to show I’m one of the best in this league and have to show my quality here. My aim is to keep going ahead by both scoring and with assists.”
Dzsudzsak had his first training session at Al Nahyan stadium on Tuesday and said his new teammates made him feel at home.
“I didn’t get to know everyone but they were all good to me. The training showed there is lot of intent and everyone wants to do well for the team which is a good sign,” he said.
Dr Jamal Al Hosni, a member of the club’s board of directors, has said Dzsudzsak is a perfect addition to the team.
“We are confident Dzsudzsak will be a key player for us this season and become an instant hit with the team,” he said.
“He’s a player with vast experience and always been our target based on the technical vision of our coach Aguirre.”
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