Santo undergoes successful surgery

Dubai - Defender reassures the Red Knights fans he will return to full fitness.

Al Ahli and UAE defender Eissa Santo has undergone a successful operation after damaging his cruciate ligaments on the club's pre-season of Italy, the Red Knights confirmed on Thursday.
The news that Santo's surgery went smoothly will come as some much-needed relief to coach Cosmin Olaroiu and his technical staff after Abdulaziz Sanqour picked up a knee injury that seems likely to keep the full-back out of action for a month.
The absence of both Sanqour and Santo leaves Ahli short of cover in the right-back berth for the forthcoming start of the 2015/16 Arabian Gulf League (AGL) season and prospectively the first leg of their Asian Champions League (ACL) quarterfinal against Iranian outfit Naft Tehran.
Abdelaziz Haikal now appears likely to get the nod from Olaroiu with Sanqour out until late August and Santo unlikely to return until early next year.
However, if any setback were to befall Haikal fitness-wise between now and their first match of the campaign against Fujairah on Wednesday, August 19th (Kick-off: 7:30pm), Olaroiu may be forced into the transfer market to sign a replacement.
Meanwhile, Ahli's preparations for this upcoming term will step up a notch or two tonight (Friday) when they play Serie A club Udinese (Kick-off: 7:30pm - UAE time).
The pre-season friendly will - of course - give Olaroiu the opportunity to cast his eye over his players against top-quality opposition, with the early-season form of new signing Lima of particular interest following the Brazilian striker's switch from Portuguese giants Benfica.
The former Belenenses and Braga forward has joined up with his new team-mates in northern Italy and vowed to make his stay with the 2013/2014 AGL champions a productive one.
"This is a new experience for me and I will put all my energy into making it a success," the 32-year-old told the club's official website.
"I will work hard with my new team-mates and we will give everything we've got to that the team can reach the targets we have set for the new season and make the fans happy.
"I hope that I will repay everyone's faith in me, especially those who recommended me to Al Ahli.
"I know I have joined a big club and I hope to be able to live up to the responsibility. I hope I am up to the task and that I can score goals and help the team to win trophies."
alex@khaleejtimes.com