Some of the world’s best known, albeit out of contract, players have been urged to play in Dubai and not “sit on the sidelines”.
Arabian Falcons, who play in the UAE Second Division League, have issued an open invitation to the likes of Karim Benzema, Paul Pogba, and a list of other stars who are now out of contract.
The club is not short of elite-level knowhow. Jonjo Shelvey, the former Liverpool and Newcastle midfielder who won six caps for England, is the side’s coach.
Ravel Morrison, the former Manchester United midfielder, is the team's captain, and ex-Crystal Palace player Jason Puncheon is in charge of their football operations.
The club is offering players, who have found themselves without a team after the summer transfer window, a chance to join them in Dubai “with no long-term commitment required”.
In the open invitation, the club listed the likes of Benzema, Pogba, Raheem Sterling, Jadon Sancho, Riyad Mahrez, Philippe Coutinho, Dani Carvajal and Jamie Vardy.
“Don’t sit on the sidelines; come and show what you’ve got over in Dubai,” Shelvey said.
“We're building something real out here, and we want more big names alongside us as we do it. If you've got the quality and you're ready to work, there's a place for you at this club.”
The club’s pitch to any of the stars wanting to join is to “come to Dubai on your own terms,” train with the side, play matches, and then they will be free to leave “the moment the right offer comes in – no strings, no long-term ties”.
“We've seen ex-Premier League players go months without a club and lose all their sharpness,” Puncheon said.
“There's no reason for that to happen. Come to Dubai, train with us every single day, get proper minutes, and be ready the second the phone rings.”
The Falcons started the new league season with a 2-1 win in their opening game, and are hopeful of pushing up the UAE league structure.
They have also launched what they describe as a “Premier League-standard” academy, and reckon they are an attractive destination for out of contract players looking to stay match ready ahead of a return to top-flight football.
“We can get any free agent playing minutes and back to full condition with proper support around them – medical, conditioning, matchday exposure, all of it,” Harry Agombar, the Falcons’ sporting director, said.
“If you're out of contract and want to stay ready, this is the environment to do that in.”
