DUBAI // Emirates on Monday signed Brazilian defensive midfielder Renan Garcia on a one-year deal hours before the close of the summer transfer window.
The Ras Al Khaimah club moved for Garcia to replace their Moroccan midfielder, Issam Erraki, after medical tests in Abu Dhabi confirmed Erraki was still suffering from a stomach complaint that had first surfaced during their pre-season camp in Serbia.
Erraki did make an appearance in Emirates’ 2-1 Arabian Gulf League win at Al Shaab on Friday, but had to be substituted in the 35th minute as he was feeling unwell.
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As Erraki undergoes further tests to find out the cause of his illness, Emirates have acted to bring in Garcia, who arrived at Al Nasr from Italian club Sampdoria last year but was omitted in favour of Frenchman Jires Kembo Ekoko.
“Garcia is an outstanding player and owns considerable experience,” said Ahmed Yousuf bin Darwish, a member of Emirates’ board of directors, saying the decision to replace Erraki was made on the recommendations of coach Paulo Comelli following the midfielder’s “declining technical levels”.
“We had a number of other options, but Garcia emerged as a unanimous choice as everyone knows and agreed about his potential.”
Al Shaab also added to their squad before the close of the transfer window, bringing in striker Vinicius Santos Silva from Brazilian club Palmeiras on a one-year loan deal.
Silva, 22, who spent last season on loan at Vitoria, will replace Chilean midfielder Matias Donoso in Tarek El Ashry’s foreign quartet.
Shaab, who have lost all four of their league matches this season, have also signed three Emiratis with defender Hamid Al Kamali joining from Al Wahda and goalkeeper Ismail Rabea and defender Mubarak Al Mansoori from Al Wasl.
Wasl have also allowed defender Salem Masood to leave and, hours after terminating his contract with the Dubai club by “mutual consent”, the former UAE international signed for Al Dhafra.
“I did not have any disagreements with the technical or administrative staff at Al Wasl, or even their players,” Masood said. “I just wanted to be a key player on a regular basis and I wanted a change.
“So I started searching for a new challenge and I believe the atmosphere at Dhafra is best for me.”
arizvi@thenational.ae
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