Al Ahli’s search for a new striker continues after Shakhtar Donetsk’s Luiz Adriano turned down the chance to join the Arabian Gulf league side.
An offer for the Brazilian was accepted by Shakhtar on Wednesday, leaving it down to the player to agree personal terms with Ahli. However, reports have emerged claiming Adriano has rejected the advances of the Dubai club.
Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu has said they will keep talking to interested clubs over Adriano, who has made it clear his desire to leave the Ukrainian champions this summer after scoring nine goals in Uefa Champions League last season.
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“We are going to negotiate with clubs interested for Luiz Adriano,” Lucescu said. “We have Roma, AC Milan and Monaco.”
Adriano’s rejection is a blow to Ahli, who are seeking a proven scorer to boost their ranks after a disappointing league season.
The Dubai club relinquished the league title with minimal fight, finishing the campaign seventh – a lack of goals a clear reason behind their struggles.
However, Ahli’s late-season resurgence saw them advance to the Asian Champions League quarter-finals, giving the club another reason to recruit a reliable scorer before the tournament resumes in August.
Ahli have also been linked with Newcastle United striker Papiss Cisse and Hull City’s Nikica Jelavic.
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