Dutch striker Michiel Kramer is on his way to Baniyas following an offer that ADO Den Haag just “could not pass up”.
Kramer, 26, scored 17 goals, the third highest tally in the Dutch top division, last season and had attracted interest from several clubs, including English Championship sides Brentford, Charlton Athletic and Sheffield Wednesday.
He is expected in Abu Dhabi this week for his medicals before he signs a three-year deal.
“This offer was financially attractive,” Kramer said on Dutch website Omroep West. “This I could not pass up.”
Kramer’s deal with ADO Den Haag runs until mid-2016, but the lanky striker had expressed his desire to leave.
After turning down offers from Kazakh club FC Astana and Sheffield Wednesday, Kramer accepted the deal from Baniyas, which, according to Dutch media reports, will bring his club more than €1.5 million (Dh6.1m).
Al Nasr, meanwhile, have announced a two-year deal with former Al Ahli man Luis Jimenez, who will take the Asian player’s slot in Ivan Jovanovic’s squad. Jimenez, 31, replaces Australian Brett Holman, who has moved to Ras Al Khaimah club Emirates after failing to get an extension at Nasr.
The Chilean has spent four seasons at Ahli – the past two as their Asian player after getting Palestinian citizenship – making 121 appearances for the Red Knights and scoring 47 goals.
Dibba Al Fujairah, who are returning to the AGL as Division One champions, have announced a one-year deal with midfielder Elias Luiz, making the Brazilian, 31, their second foreign signing after Lebanese defender Bilal Najjarine.
Luiz arrives from Saudi club Al Fateh, which was his second stint in the region after spending the 2010/11 season at Kuwait’s Al Nasr.
The Brazilian has also played for Chinese Super League club Chongqing Lifan.
Dibba have also made several Emirati additions to their roster, including Ibrahim Khalifa from Al Dhafra, Al Shaab’s Ahmed Kamil Issa and Nasser Abdel Hadi from Ajman.
Shaab, the second promoted side in the AGL for next season, have also announced a new signing. Brazil-born Celio Santos, 27, is a left back who will be the team’s Asian player.
Santos has obtained an East Timor passport and joins a growing list of naturalised players representing the South-East Asian nation in international football.
Santos began his career at Brazilian club Ferroviario in 2006 and has played in several countries, including Portugal, Moldova, Ukraine and China. His most recent club was Iranian giants Tractor Sazi Tabriz.
arizvi@thenational.ae
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
