ABU DHABI // Andre Senghor may spend next season with newly promoted Abu Dhabi side Baniyas. The lanky Senegalese striker will either be loaned out or sold by Al Ain ahead of next season because they have no room for him in the squad due to the three foreigner rule. Senghor, 23, played most of last season for Winfried Schaefer's team and scored 10 goals for Al Ain. He stood in at various points for his more illustrious teammates - the Chile international Jorge Valdivia, the Brazilian Andre Diaz and the Moroccan Soufiane Alloudi - who were all injured or suspended at some point.
"The two clubs are in talks and will reach an agreement soon," said an official from Baniyas. "If this contract comes through, we will have the complete squad in place well before our summer preparation." Baniyas won the Division One title to return to the top tier. Their promotion to the Pro League has boosted Abu Dhabi's representation to five in the 12-team Pro League - along with Al Jazira, Al Wahda, Al Ain and Al Dhafra. Baniyas have retained their two foreign players - Senegalese forward Baba George and the Malian midfielder Modibo Diara - with new one-year contracts.
The club signed the Omani international Fawzi Bashir on a free transfer from Kuwaiti club Kazma over the weekend as their Asian overseas professional, following the Asian Football Confederation's "3 plus 1 rule", which allow clubs to recruit one player of Asian origin in addition to the regular quota of three foreign players. Meanwhile, Al Jazira strengthened their defence by signing Juma Abdulla on a three-year contract. Abdulla, 27, was loaned from Al Ain to Al Wasl last season and moves to the Abu Dhabi club on a free transfer.
apassela@thenational.ae