Omar Abdulrahman's most recent performance for Al Jazira was arguably his best.
Long established as the UAE’s principal playmaker, the sense was his season had yet to truly spark. Then he provided a timely retort to critics.
Abdulrahman starred last month against Al Ain, offering his former club a reminder of what some argued was a past talent. Contributing to all three goals in a 3-1 win, including scoring the equaliser, he added his specialist touch right before the Arabian Gulf League halted amid the pandemic.
The victory reignited Jazira’s late bid for the title, with Abdulrahman at its centre. In a high-stakes encounter, he excelled. Deservedly named man of the match, he was soon championed as the division's player of the round.
Slow return from injury
Nonetheless, the feeling persists that Abdulrahman remains far from his vintage. Not the player voted Asia's best in 2016, or the one integral to Al Ain's four league titles between 2012 and 2018, culminating in a first top-flight-and-President's-Cup double in the club's history.
What's more, not since Abdulrahman sustained a serious, and potentially seismic, injury soon after his move to Al Hilal two summers ago. A third major knee surgery threatened not purely the player's impact in Saudi Arabia – eventually Abdulrahman played five league matches for the club – but his career, too.
So while his return to the UAE last August was met with substantial fanfare, there was caution. Abdulrahman was a month shy of his 28th birthday, his rehabilitation rumoured to have been anything from requisite to rudimentary.
Slow start & bare stats
Understandably, Jazira eased him into action. Eleven months without a competitive appearance, Abdulrahman was initially restricted to cameo roles: 14 minutes in the season opener against Al Dhafra; 31 against Al Wahda; 10 against Shabab Al Ahli. He didn’t start a league match until the fourth round, away to Khorfakkan.
Consider the season as a whole, and Abdulrahman's numbers hardly betray his talent. In 19 league matches, the UAE's traditionally dominant creator has registered two assists. He has found the net three times.
While goals have never been Abdulrahman’s premium currency – the midfielder said recently he'd rather create than score – he struck five times in 13 matches in 2017/18, six in 22 the previous season.
Fevered debate
The bare statistics this campaign suggest a star has dimmed considerably. With that came the predictable questions: could Abdulrahman still conjure the craft of old? Had he maintained the mastery to set games to his beat?
Just as his display against Al Ain conveyed, he can and he has. The question now is just how regularly?
The season was always going to be one of convalescence and gradual gains, with Abdulrahman requiring time and patience to overcome yet another injury. Given his stature, though, he was never likely to get it.
Still creative
But positive signs do exist. Abdulrahman has featured in every league match for Jazira, despite completing 90 minutes only 12 times. He has created 46 chances, second in the division only to Balazs Dzsudzsak, the focal point at Ittihad Kalba through the first half of the season and now plying his trade with Al Ain. In contrast at Jazira, Abdulrahman shares some of the creative burden with Kenno and Khalfan Mubarak.
Even so, Abdulrahman creates a goalscoring opportunity every 29.5 minutes. Of the top 10 in that category currently, only Dzsudzsak (27.6 minutes) and Al Ain teammate Bandar Al Ahbabi (27.4 minutes) have a superior output. The gap to fourth is considerable: Al Wahda’s Ismail Matar is next on the list, at 32 minutes.
Spurned opportunities
Crucially, Abdulrahman would feature much higher in the assists charts had Jazira not been so wasteful. Their shots-to-goals conversion tallies at 15.3 per cent, ranking them six in the league. Abdulrahman’s “expected assists” – the expected number of assists based on the quality of delivery – is 5.95, almost three times more than his actual figure.
Against Al Ain, for example, Mabkhout spurned a glorious chance when put through by Abdulrahman. That said, the midfielder’s assist count still falls way short of his previous best: 16 in 17 matches in 2013/14, or the 12 in 22 matches in 2015/16.
Making an impact
Other metrics convey his capacity to create endures. Abdulrahman ranks first in the division for “through passes” (5.93), second in “passes into penalty area” (8.23) and third in “final-third passes” (13.61), all when measured per 90 minutes. In that first category, his output is almost double the league's next best, while the accuracy of those through balls (nearly one third) is impressive given Abdulrahman’s penchant for the unorthodox.
It underlines Jazira’s dependence on him, underscored by his standing within the game in the UAE. Teammates, whether at Jazira, Al Ain or with the national team, have always looked to Abdulrahman to produce. At times, that bleeds into an over-reliance.
Silencing critics
However, the recent display against Al Ain went some way to allaying doubts. Abdulrahman was always going to require a period of readjustment this season; while familiar with the league, he had joined a new club, who subsequently changed manager - Jurgen Streppel out, Marcel Keizer in - two months into the campaign.
Inevitably, his recovery from injury constituted the greatest question mark. Of course, the league’s current competitive hiatus has come at an unfortunate time for Abdulrahman personally, since he appeared to have found his rhythm.
However, there is enough evidence to indicate he will enjoy a strong conclusion to the season, whenever that eventually plays out. That bodes well not only for the player and the club, but in the long run for the country, too.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Section 375
Cast: Akshaye Khanna, Richa Chadha, Meera Chopra & Rahul Bhat
Director: Ajay Bahl
Producers: Kumar Mangat Pathak, Abhishek Pathak & SCIPL
Rating: 3.5/5
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
The biog
Birthday: February 22, 1956
Born: Madahha near Chittagong, Bangladesh
Arrived in UAE: 1978
Exercise: At least one hour a day on the Corniche, from 5.30-6am and 7pm to 8pm.
Favourite place in Abu Dhabi? “Everywhere. Wherever you go, you can relax.”
MATCH INFO
Watford 1 (Deulofeu 80' p)
Chelsea 2 (Abraham 5', Pulisic 55')
Try out the test yourself
Q1 Suppose you had $100 in a savings account and the interest rate was 2 per cent per year. After five years, how much do you think you would have in the account if you left the money to grow?
a) More than $102
b) Exactly $102
c) Less than $102
d) Do not know
e) Refuse to answer
Q2 Imagine that the interest rate on your savings account was 1 per cent per year and inflation was 2 per cent per year. After one year, how much would you be able to buy with the money in this account?
a) More than today
b) Exactly the same as today
c) Less than today
d) Do not know
e) Refuse to answer
Q4 Do you think that the following statement is true or false? “Buying a single company stock usually provides a safer return than a stock mutual fund.”
a) True
b) False
d) Do not know
e) Refuse to answer
The “Big Three” financial literacy questions were created by Professors Annamaria Lusardi of the George Washington School of Business and Olivia Mitchell, of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Answers: Q1 More than $102 (compound interest). Q2 Less than today (inflation). Q3 False (diversification).
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
