Al Wasl give themselves one week to tie down loanees Caio and Ederson

Al Wasl still waiting to hear back from Brazilian duo’s respective clubs as they begin to examine back-up options, writes John McAuley.

Al Wasl's Caio shown during an Arabian Gulf League match against Al Jazira in December. Ashraf Al Amra / Al Ittihad / December 31, 2014

DUBAI // Al Wasl will allow the parent clubs of Caio and Ederson one week to accept their offers to buy the players, before they move to other targets.

The Dubai club have been in constant dialogue with Caio’s Internacional and Ederson’s Atletico Paranaense since the conclusion of last season, as they look to tie down the Brazilian duo who enjoyed fine debut campaigns – both on loan - during the 2014/15 Arabian Gulf League.

Wasl have already confirmed Fabio Lima will complete the second season of his two-year temporary deal from Atletico Goianiense, while they have extended the contract of Portuguese midfielder Hugo Viana for another year.

Wasl are understandably eager to retain the foreign contingent that experienced so much success last term, with the three Brazilian-born forwards contributing 46 of their 53 league goals. Wasl finished sixth in the standings.

Caio and Ederson have expressed the desire to continue at the Zabeel Stadium, but the club management have yet to receive an answer from Internacional and Paranaense.

“We’re still negotiating with the other players, but until now nothing has happened,” said Majed Obaidallah, the Wasl team manager. “We sent the offers so we’re just waiting for them to come back to us. We have to wait for them.

“We want Caio and Ederson, but we haven’t got any answer. So we’ve put a deadline and we’ll see. We’re working on other players as well, because we’re getting short of time.”

Obaidallah denied Wasl are still interested in Ibrahima Toure, the striker at Al Nasr. Reports had linked the club to the Senegalese forward, who finished last season as the division’s second top scorer with 18 goals.

Toure was put forward as a possible candidate, but Wasl have now expanded their search to players currently outside the UAE.​

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