DUBAI // Al Ahli say they do not expect to delve into the transfer market this month to compensate for the loss of Rodrigo Lima, their star striker.
The Brazilian had knee surgery in Portugal this week after sustaining an injury in last month’s Arabian Gulf League clash with Al Shaab and has been ruled out for three months.
Lima, who has scored 19 goals in 24 matches since signing from Benfica this summer, will most likely miss the remainder of the season, since Ahli would have to register him for the league by January 25, the date the transfer window closes.
Read more
Al Ahli striker Rodrigo Lima will miss up to three months after knee surgery
As they enter second half of season, Al Ahli drop points in scoreless draw at Al Wasl
Babel to Turkey, Sow to stay at Ahli? Five potential AGL transfers this January
Given the length of his rehabilitation, the Dubai club have re-registered Ciel, the forward who returned to competitive action on Monday following a 15-month break caused by injury.
Ahmed Khalifa, the Ahli chief executive, believes Cosmin Olaroiu has more than enough firepower to cope with Lima’s absence, although he did not completely rule out making a signing if required.
At present, Ahli have five foreign players on their books: Ciel, Moussa Sow, Everton Ribeiro, Kwon Kyung-won and Oussama Assaidi, with the latter not registered for the 2015/16 league campaign. Ahli currently sit second in the table at the halfway mark.
“Of course, Lima’s a good player and a key player, a player with the most focus this season, but unfortunately that’s what happened,” Khalifa said. “On the other side, Ciel and Assaidi are still in Al Ahli’s hands, so Cosmin has taken a quick decision that he needs Ciel again.
“I think we won’t buy more foreign players. First, is the time, and then the availability of good players in the market. We are always searching for good players, but players with special skills are not always available in this transfer window.
“So we think we’ll continue the season with Ciel. That’s what’s happening now, but I don’t know what will happen in the future. Maybe in the next two weeks, something will happen, we don’t know. That’s the path we see in front of us now.”
Khalifa also said Ahli do not envisage adding to their Emirati contingent, again citing the difficulty in doing business in the January market. However, he said the club are convinced Ciel can regain his form following a substantial period on the sidelines.
The 33-year-old Brazilian suffered a double-fracture of his ankle in the opening league match of last season and returned only as a late substitute in Monday’s 0-0 draw at Al Wasl.
Khalifa said: “He’s fit enough, was in pre-season with the team in Italy and didn’t miss any training sessions since the first day in the season. But he needs to play more because he’s been away from matches for almost a year and a half.
“We are expecting him to improve and we know he’s very confident in himself to do something.”
jmcauley@thenational.ae
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
How to increase your savings
- Have a plan for your savings.
- Decide on your emergency fund target and once that's achieved, assign your savings to another financial goal such as saving for a house or investing for retirement.
- Decide on a financial goal that is important to you and put your savings to work for you.
- It's important to have a purpose for your savings as it helps to keep you motivated to continue while also reducing the temptation to spend your savings.
- Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Traces%20of%20Enayat
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAuthor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Iman%20Mersal%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20And%20Other%20Stories%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPages%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20240%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Fasset%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2019%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Mohammad%20Raafi%20Hossain%2C%20Daniel%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%242.45%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2086%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Pre-series%20B%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Investcorp%2C%20Liberty%20City%20Ventures%2C%20Fatima%20Gobi%20Ventures%2C%20Primal%20Capital%2C%20Wealthwell%20Ventures%2C%20FHS%20Capital%2C%20VN2%20Capital%2C%20local%20family%20offices%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Revibe%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hamza%20Iraqui%20and%20Abdessamad%20Ben%20Zakour%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Refurbished%20electronics%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410m%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Resonance%20and%20various%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The biog
Family: He is the youngest of five brothers, of whom two are dentists.
Celebrities he worked on: Fabio Canavaro, Lojain Omran, RedOne, Saber Al Rabai.
Where he works: Liberty Dental Clinic
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
The biog
DOB: March 13, 1987
Place of birth: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia but lived in Virginia in the US and raised in Lebanon
School: ACS in Lebanon
University: BSA in Graphic Design at the American University of Beirut
MSA in Design Entrepreneurship at the School of Visual Arts in New York City
Nationality: Lebanese
Status: Single
Favourite thing to do: I really enjoy cycling, I was a participant in Cycling for Gaza for the second time this year