LONDON // Omar Abdulrahman could be in line for a tryout with a major European club after his scintillating performances in the UAE's first two games at London 2012, says the Dubai-based representative for the Manchester company which represents Wayne Rooney.
"Everybody knew Omar would be the one who would stand out, and he hasn't let us down," said Dave Fenwick, who works for Triple S Sports Management.
"He is an ideal player for international football, which is more about possession and control. The cut and thrust of the Premier League would be different."
Describing the Olympic football tournament as "a shop window", Fenwick yesterday said the Al Ain midfielder has stood out. His technical skills have been remarked upon in the British media, and he made the passes that led to both UAE goals here.
During the UAE's match with Team Great Britain, the Arsenal midfielder Conor Henderson tweeted that Abdulrahman has a "wand of a left foot".
Fenwick said he is not aware that Abdulrahman has an agent, but expects that some will attempt to recruit him and perhaps promise more than can be delivered.
He said the proper way to move forward would be to approach Al Ain, perhaps to broker a tryout, or a stint training with the first team of a European club. "No one till now would offer him a big transfer fee," Fenwick said.
Carlo Nohra, Al Ain's chief executive, said the club's technical committee would make any decisions on allowing the playmaker to try his luck with another side, "and a plausible outcome would be a resistance to losing one of our very important players".
He added: "But players have ambitions, too ... and I think clubs from any country should help players to move to a higher level. It can be financially advantageous for the club and, equally, the player could go on loan and come back as an even better player."
Fenwick had also told his employers to be on the watch for Ahmed Khalil, the UAE striker, but he has had a difficult tournament so far.
"He perhaps has not had the performances here you would have wanted, yet he is one of the few in the team with the upper-body strength to play with one of the European leagues," Fenwick said.
"With that physical strength, he might be someone a club would feel they could work with, and he might still be of interest."