Abdelaziz Barrada to sign with Al Nasr, giving boost to Asian Champions League prospects

Al Nasr have agreed a deal to sign Abdelaziz Barrada from Marseille to significantly boost their Asian Champions League bid.

The Moroccan midfielder, who spent the 2013/14 season at Al Jazira, will arrive in Dubai within the next 48 hours to finalise a three-year contract after undergoing a medical in Rome.

Barrada, 27, joined Jazira from Spain's Getafe in July 2013 and enjoyed a fine debut Arabian Gulf League campaign in which he featured 22 times and scored 10 goals to help the capital club finish third.

• More: Al Ain, Al Nasr on course to crash in Champions League semis

His performances convinced Marseille to recruit him the following summer, but Barrada has struggled in France during the past two seasons. In 33 Ligue 1 appearances, he scored only twice.

However, a return to the UAE could prompt a turnaround in form, especially since Nasr are keen to add guile to the side after releasing playmaker Luis Jimenez earlier this month.

The Dubai club, who finished fourth in the 2015/16 Arabian Gulf League, have qualified for the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time in their history. They face Qatar’s El Jaish in Doha on August 24 in the first leg of their last-eight tie.

Nasr will hope to also have a new striker in place by then, with Sharjah forward Wanderley reportedly their No.1 target. The Brazilian would replace compatriot Nilmar, who is allowed to leave despite scoring 18 times last season. Nilmar has attracted interest from a number of clubs in his homeland.

Nasr are expected to retain attacking midfielders Jonathan Pitroipa and Jires Kembo Ekoko, although they require one of their four foreign players to fill their Asian slot for next season.

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