Al-Shabab signs Belusso as Nassr eyes Abdulrahman

Jonatas Belusso

LONDON: Saudi Professional League’s Al-Shabab has signed Brazilian striker Jonatas Belusso on a one-year contract, with the option of a 12-month extension at the end of the forthcoming 2017-18 season.
The 29-year-old forward has had experience in Asian football having played for South Korean clubs Gangwon FC, where he netted 15 goals in 31 appearances, and Seoul E-Land 2016 where he scored four goals in 17 appearances.
He has though spent the majority of his career until now in his native Brazil with productive stints at provincial sides such as Metropolitano, Guaratingueta, Brusque and Londrina.
Meanwhile, Riyadh-based Al-Nassr is reportedly weighing up a loan move for Al-Ain’s Mohamed Adbulrahman as the Knights of Najd look to fill the Asian-qualified slot in its allotted quota of overseas players.
Abdulrahman has made 122 appearances for Al-Ain since breaking into the first-team fold in 2008, scoring 33 goals in that time.
He has 59 caps and seven goals for the UAE national team having made his international debut in 2014.
Mohamed’s younger brother Omar, who also plays for Al -Ain, does not seem likely to be joining Nice in a loan switch of his own any time soon though.
The star midfielder has a gentleman’s agreement with the club to leave only once he has led them to Asian Champions League (ACL) glory.
Al-Ain — the 2016 ACL runner-up — is set to face Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal in the quarterfinals of this year’s edition, with the first leg set for Aug. 21 and the return Sept. 11.
The eventual winner of that last-eight clash will face either KSA’s Al-Ahli or Persepolis of Iran in the semis for the west region.
With Al-Ain maintaining aspirations of going one better than its second-place finish last time around as well, it would be unthinkable for the club to lose the 2016 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Player of the Year at this pivotal point in proceedings.