Real Madrid, the current Spanish champions and one of the world's most famous football club, and sport officials in Ajman are in talks to bring the emirate's best young talent to Spain. They are also understood to be discussing a plan to open Real Madrid football schools in the northern emirates. Ramon Calderón, the president of the club, has said it would be "beautiful" to establish a foundation to develop young footballers in the UAE.
His comments follow a visit to the country this month, when he met Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid, the Crown Prince of Ajman. The state news agency WAM said the visit covered ways of "enhancing bilateral co-operation" and the "exchange of expertise in sport and culture". Neither side was willing to comment on the details of the trip. A spokesman for Mr Calderón, who became the president of Real Madrid in 2006, said it was a "private, friendly visit" and confirmed there was an element of business involved.
"Mr Calderón said that in the future it would be very beautiful to have schools in this country, but they haven't signed anything yet and he doesn't know all the projects the Real Madrid Foundation will have in the future," the spokesman said. An Ajman Government official said the discussions were ongoing and the possibility of young players from the emirate being sent to the Spanish capital to hone their skills was on the agenda.
"There will be the possibility of young players and children from Ajman going to Real Madrid for training," he said. "It's important for the development of sport in Ajman to establish ties with the largest football club in the world." The Ajman Government official, who said he worked within the sport department, said authorities were waiting for the green light from Real Madrid to proceed with a player-exchange programme.
If Real Madrid go ahead with a deal, it would be the latest in a string of leading European football clubs to develop ties with the UAE. The English club Manchester United, the current champions of Europe, were the first to establish a permanent presence in the UAE when it set up the Manchester United Soccer Schools in Dubai three years ago. Operated by Dubai Sports City, the programme takes on about 700 footballers aged from six to 18 each season.
Former players such as Mike Duxbuty have been involved with the project, but there is an agreement to use local coaches. Abdul Rahman Mohamed Abdullah al Khaja, who captained the UAE in the 1990 World Cup finals, works at the school. In May, Ernesto Paolillo, the president of Inter Milan, signed an agreement with the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and the developer Hydra Properties to build the team's first football youth academy in the region.
Mr Paolillo said the UAE could become a source of future talent. Last month, the Chelsea player Shaun Wright-Phillips passed on his footballing knowledge to youngsters during a football clinic at Emirates Palace hotel organised by Etihad Airways. There are also commercial links between European clubs and the UAE. Emirates Airlines has a huge sponsorship deal with the English Premier League club Arsenal, while Etihad is the official airline of Chelsea.
The Real Madrid Foundation is one of the most extensive in football, reaching into Central and South America, Europe and the Middle East. It carries out its activities in four main areas: sport, education and culture, social welfare and institutional. Examples include donating sport material, setting up youth academies and arranging sport tournaments. Football in Ajman is spearheaded by Ajman Club, which has strengthened its team in preparation for its first season in the UAE's top professional league.
@Email:rditcham@thenational.ae