‘Decision on Qahtani, Gyan at end of season’

ABU DHABI — Al Ain FC will wait until the end of the season to make a decision on their two on-loan players — star signing Asamoah Gyan and Yasser Al Qahtani.

By James Jose

Published: Fri 23 Mar 2012, 12:54 AM

Last updated: Tue 7 Apr 2015, 12:05 PM

Gyan is on a year’s loan from English Premiership Club Sunderland. He has a contract with them until 2014, although there have been talks of a permanent move to the Garden City Club, where he has felt at home.

Saudi Arabia captain Yasser Al Qahtani is on loan from Al Hilal. And the duo have been pivotal figures in Al Ain’s rise to the top of the UAE Pro-League this season and almost assured of a record 10^th title. This after they battled relegation last season. The addition of the two has added teeth to Al Ain’s squad this season.

The Al Ain faithful, who adore both the players, have called on the club to make their deal permanent. There are also a number of clubs lining up for Gyan’s signature but the star forward is in no hurry. He said recently that he was happy at Al Ain and will decide on his future at the end of the season.

“We should concentrate on the coming matches until the end of this season. There is a special committee working on this side contacting the coach about the foreign and the local players. We have delayed speaking about this case until the end of the season,” Mohammed Obeid Hammad, Al Ain’s first team supervisor said in a statement on Thursday.

Hammad said that the football committee at the club was already working with the coach Cosmin to prepare for next season. Hammad said that a number of local and foreign players were on their radar for next season as they would be competing in the AFC Champions League. Al Ain were in the inaugural winners of the AFC Champions League, winning the club competition in 2003.

“The football committee in the club is working with Cosmin. Cosmin has been following all the league teams and he was impressed by some local players. In fact, we seek stability in the club and will make use of all players available. Some players are in the focus of Cosmin. And despite it not being easy to get a local player and is more difficult than getting a foreign one, we will work on getting some players sought by the coach. We are in the AFC Champions League next season in addition to other competitions, which require getting some excellent players,” Hammad added.