Asamoah Gyan – Ghana captain and ex-Al Ain striker – completes loan move to Al Ahli

Asamoah Gyan, the former Al Ain striker, is set for a sensational return to the Arabian Gulf League — with current champions Al Ahli.

Asamoah Gyan, right, alongside Al Ahli chairman Abdullah Al Naboodah. Courtesy Al Ahli FC

Former Al Ain striker Asamoah Gyan has made a shock return to the Arabian Gulf League, with current champions Al Ahli.

The Ghana captain, who joined China’s Shanghai SIPG from Al Ain last summer, replaces Moussa Sow, with UAE football’s record buy having agreeing a one-year loan deal with former club Fenerbahce before the close of last night’s European transfer deadline.

Gyan’s move to Ahli, also a one-year loan and confirmed once he passed a medical last night, comes as a surprise given his previous connection to rivals Al Ain. In four years with the Garden City side, he scored 128 goals in 123 matches to secure a host of major honours.

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• Al Wasl: Portuguese winger Helder Barbosa signs on a two-year deal from AEK Athens

• Al Nasr: Wanderley a significant upgrade on Al Nasr's Champions League aspirations

His 95 goals in 83 league matches from 2011-15 helped Al Ain clinch three top-flight titles. Gyan won three Golden Boot awards and scored the winner in the 2014 President’s Cup final against Ahli. In 2014, Gyan was the Asian Champions League’s top scorer with 12 goals. He is also Ghana’s record goalscorer, with 48.

Whether Gyan, 30, can recapture that form at Ahli remains to be seen. In his final season with Al Ain, injury restricted his output, although he still managed to score 13 goals in 17 league appearances. He struggled at Shanghai despite being one of the club’s highest earners, finding the net seven times in 15 appearances. Again, he was affected by injury.

Nevertheless, Gyan has been linked with several clubs this summer, including former employers Sunderland, West Ham United, Fulham and Reading in England, and Besiktas in Turkey. Earlier this week, it was reported he had failed a medical at Reading, which the Ghanaian later appeared to deny on his official Twitter account.

At Ahli Gyan will again link up with Cosmin Olaroiu, his manager for two seasons at Al Ain. It is understood the Romanian’s presence was the deciding factor in agreeing to a return to the UAE.

Gyan takes Sow’s place in the squad. The Senegalese forward, who joined from Fenerbahce last September in a record €17 million (Dh70m) deal, was still a success, scoring 13 times in 24 league matches to ensure Ahli were crowned champions for the second time in three seasons.

Olaroiu confirmed Sow’s move on Wednesday during his pre-match press conference ahead of Friday’s Arabian League Cup encounter against Al Nasr, saying: “The player said he wanted a move, and unfortunately the transfer window in Europe closes on August 31 for him to move to another club, so we had to let him go.”

Gyan, Rodrigo Lima, Everton Ribeiro and Kwon Kyung-won now form Ahli’s foreign contingent. Last season, the Dubai side finished nine points ahead of runners-up Al Ain in the league. They kick off their title defence on September 17, at home to Emirates club.

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