DUBAI // Ederson has promised a repeat of his 2013 scoring exploits in Brazil after being unveiled as Al Wasl's new No 7.
The forward, 25, was the top scorer in the Brazilian Serie A last year, with 21 goals in 36 matches to help Atletico Paranaense finish third.
His performances put him on the radar of several European powerhouses and reports in January linked him with a move to English Premier League club Arsenal.
Ederson failed to repeat that performance in 2014, with only four goals from 20 matches, but he promised a much better performance at Wasl after arriving at the Zabeel Stadium this week on the recommendation of coach Jorginho, a member of the 1994 World Cup winning Brazil team.
“I am really delighted to be here and I hope to be a valuable addition to the team,” said the man whose full name is Ederson Alves Ribeiro Silva upon being introduced by the Dubai club on a one-year loan. “This year, I did not do as well as I would have liked in Brazil, but I promise the Wasl fans will see me perform at a much higher level than I did in the Brazilian league this year.
“I know a lot about Al Wasl and I know how passionate their fans are, and that is one of the biggest reasons for me coming here. I had no hesitation accepting this offer. Football in Brazil is not very different to the football here, so I hope to settle in quickly and make the Wasl fans proud.”
Ederson is the third Brazilian to sign for Wasl this summer, joining Atletico Mineiro’s Neto Berola and Fabio Virginio de Lima of Atletico Goianiense. There are doubts about Lima’s continuation, though, as he has yet to convince the club about his fitness.
“We are not in a rush to finalise our foreign players,” said Majed Obaidallah, the Wasl team manager.
“We will take our time. We still have Ricardo Oliveira, Emmanuel Culio and Edson Puch on our books, and in the coming days we will try to find solutions that are best for all parties concerned.”
Wasl have released their Emirati striker Mohammed Nasser, 26, who is moving closer towards signing a three-year deal with Abu Dhabi club Baniyas.
Al Shabab, meanwhile, are close to announcing Brazil-born Moldovan international Henrique Luvannor as their fourth foreign player for the new season.
Luvannor, 24, is playing for three-time Moldovan defending champions Sheriff Tiraspol and scored 26 goals in 25 matches last season.
He also helped his team qualify for the group stages of the 2013/14 Uefa Europa League.
According to sources, Shabab have been negotiating with Sheriff Tiraspol for more than a month and seem to have finally struck a deal that will see Luvannor sign a four-year contract.
Luvannor, who played as a defender for Sheriff in his first two seasons at the club before switching to attack, has scored twice for Moldova in four appearances.
He is expected to join the Shabab team at their pre-season camp in the Netherlands soon.
With his arrival, Shabab will complete their quartet of foreign players as they have retained Chilean playmaker Carlos Villanueva, Uzbek midfielder Azizbek Haydarov and Brazilian striker Edgar Bruno.
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