Hugo Almeida of Portugal, right, who is a free agent after turning down Turkish club Beisktas’ offer for an extension, arrived in Dubai on Friday night and had his medicals Saturday. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Hugo Almeida of Portugal, right, who is a free agent after turning down Turkish club Beisktas’ offer for an extension, arrived in Dubai on Friday night and had his medicals Saturday. (AP Photo/Frank AShow more

Al Nasr set to sign Portuguese striker Hugo Almeida



DUBAI // Al Nasr are set to sign Portuguese striker Hugo Almeida on a one-year deal, bringing their association with suspended Senegalese striker Ibrahima Toure to an end.

The 30-year-old Almeida, who is a free agent after turning down Turkish club Beisktas’ offer for an extension, arrived in Dubai on Friday night and had his medicals yesterday.

“Depending on the medicals, it will be a one-year deal with the option of extending the contract at the end of the season,” a Nasr source revealed. “Personal terms have been agreed and we should have an official deal within a day or two.”

Being a free agent, Almeida has been linked with several English clubs like West Ham, Leicester and Queens Park Rangers since leaving Besiktas, where he spent three seasons scoring 33 goals, in May. German club Eintracht Frankfurt and Italy’s Cesena were reportedly keen on his services as well, but none of the clubs could match Nasr’s offer.

Almeida has scored 19 goals for Portugal in 56 appearances and was a member of Paulo Bento’s squad at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, but got injured in the opening game against eventual champions Germany after just 28 minutes.

Ironically, Nasr had approached the Portuguese, who has two European Championships and two World Cups on CV, last year as well, before opting for Toure.

The 28-year-old Senegalese striker, who still has two years remaining on his Nasr contract, is currently serving a three-match suspension after a clash with Baniyas’ Mohammed Jaber in the opening league match left the Emirati with a bloody cheek.

Nasr had suspended him “indefinitely” after the incident and have been looking for an replacement since. The club have also deducted 30 per cent of the player’s salary as punishment and also the Dh200,000 fine imposed on him by the Football Association’s disciplinary committee.

With Almeida’s arrival, Nasr’s top scorer of last season will be looking for a new home, with the Dubai club ready to send him out on a loan deal or a permanent transfer.

Follow our sports coverage on twitter at @SprtNationalUAE

Muguruza's singles career in stats

WTA titles 3

Prize money US$11,128,219 (Dh40,873,133.82)

Wins / losses 293 / 149

The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Power: 268bhp / 536bhp
Torque: 343Nm / 686Nm
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Artist: Coldplay

Label: Parlophone/Atlantic

Number of tracks: 10

Rating: 3/5

Tree of Hell

Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla

Director: Raed Zeno

Rating: 4/5

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Mane points for safe home colouring
  • Natural and grey hair takes colour differently than chemically treated hair
  • Taking hair from a dark to a light colour should involve a slow transition through warmer stages of colour
  • When choosing a colour (especially a lighter tone), allow for a natural lift of warmth
  • Most modern hair colours are technique-based, in that they require a confident hand and taught skills
  • If you decide to be brave and go for it, seek professional advice and use a semi-permanent colour

Coal Black Mornings

Brett Anderson

Little Brown Book Group 

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

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if you go

The flights

Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Seoul from Dh3,775 return, including taxes

The package

Ski Safari offers a seven-night ski package to Korea, including five nights at the Dragon Valley Hotel in Yongpyong and two nights at Seoul CenterMark hotel, from £720 (Dh3,488) per person, including transfers, based on two travelling in January

The info

Visit www.gokorea.co.uk

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
'Nope'
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