New Al Ahli signing Lima has promised to do everything to prove a success at the club after joining up with his new teammates for the first time this week.
The Brazilian transferred from Portugal’s Benfica last Friday for a reported €7 million (Dh28.2m) fee, agreeing to a two-year deal with the option of another season.
Lima, 32, arrives on the back of a fruitful three years with Benfica in which he fired 70 goals in 144 appearances to help the club twice seal the Primeira Liga title. He becomes Ahli’s first significant acquisition this summer and was recruited just in time to be registered for the Dubai side’s 2015 Asian Champions League campaign. Ahli take on Naft Tehran in the first leg of their quarter-final clash on August 26.
Speaking to Ahli’s official website at the club’s training camp in Italy, Lima said: “Of course, this is a new experience for me and I will put all my energy into making it a success. I will work hard with my new teammates and we will give everything we’ve got so that the team can reach the targets we have set for the new season and make the fans happy.
“I hope that I will repay everyone’s faith in me, especially those who recommended me to Al Ahli. I know I have joined a big club and I hope to be able to live up to the responsibility.”
MORE ARABIAN GULF LEAGUE NEWS
Arabian Gulf League and Cup dates confirmed for first half of 2015/16 season
Omar Abdulrahman taken off injured in Al Ain’s pre-season defeat to Hull City
Abdulaziz Sanqour ruled out for a month to add to Al Ahli’s injury concerns
Theoretically, Lima takes Ahli’s final foreign slot for the 2015/16 Arabian Gulf League season, with compatriots Everton Ribeiro and Ciel, and South Korea’s Kwon Kyung-won, comprising the other three places. At the moment, it seems like Oussama Assaidi will not be registered.
Lima says he already knows the club well having previously spoken to Al Wasl’s Hugo Viana, an ex-teammate at Sporting Braga, who played an integral role in Ahli’s march to the 2013/14 UAE championship. He also picked the brains of Ricardo Quaresma, another former Ahli midfielder.
“Hugo Viana used to tell me about the professionalism and atmosphere that exists at the club,” Lima said. “He spoke of the fans, who are extremely loyal and always stand behind their team. I was first introduced to the club when Quaresma joined them, and through those two players I developed a great impression of the club and I did not hesitate for moment to agree a move and to tackle a new professional experience. Those two played a big part in my decision.”
Lima promised to turnaround Ahli’s woeful league form from last season, when the then champions stuttered throughout their title defence to eventually finish seventh. They found the net only 35 times — the worst of any of the division’s top eight teams.
“I know there are players with high technical skills at Al Ahli and that is great for the team,” he said. “My mission is to complement the attack and to ensure we score more goals this season. It will be tough and needs hard work and cooperation. There is a lot of responsibility on my shoulders and I hope I am up to the task, and that I can score goals and help the team to win trophies.”
*Additional reporting by Ali Khaled*
