Ajman: Club has agreed a year-long loan move for 23-year-old Lebanese striker Hassan Maatouk from Al Ahed Club in Beirut - an official at the club confirmed the deal was penned on Sunday.
Maatouk becomes the newly-promoted side's fourth and sole Asian import, as per league quota rules behind French-Algerian midfielder Karim Kerkar from Emirates, Senegalese striker Ebrahima Toure from Sepahan and Ivorian attacker Olivier Tia Tokbe from Al Ahli Doha.
This season they will all play under Iraqi-cum-Kiwi coach Abdul Qader as the club looks to survive and consolidate upon their first season back in top flight football since a year in the second tier, from which they re-emerged with the 2010/11 championship in tow.
Now the second Lebanese footballer in the UAE Pro League behind Al Ahli defender Yousuf Mohammad who signed over the summer from FC Koln, Maatouk is Lebanon's current top goal scorer with a reported 11 goals from 23 national team appearances.
In over 120 appearances for Al Ahed, Maatouk has reportedly bagged 89 goals for his hometown club since his career started with them in 2005. With Al Ahed Maatouk won three Lebanese Premier League titles, three FA Cups, one Federation Cup, three Elite Cups and two Super Cups in a golden era with the Shia and Hezbollah backed club.
Maatouk enjoyed two treble winning years with the club in 2008 and 2011 winning the League, Elite and Super Cups and the League, FA Cup and Elite Cup titles respectively.
Most notable in Maatouk's career so far was a golden boot in the 2008 Elite Cup where he scored three goals across the group, semi and final stages. Maatouk also scored two goals in the 2010 FA Cup Semi Final to send his team through to the final.
Experienced in continental and international football Maatouk has represented his club in the AFC Cup and the Asian and World Cup qualifiers.
Ajman will play Sharjah at home in the third round of Etisalat Cup group matches this Saturday, having already beaten Al Ahli 3-1 at home and drawing with Bani Yas 1-1 away. They start their Pro League campaign on October 16 against Bani Yas at home.
Pro League Imports
Al Ahli
Coach: Ivan Hasek (CZE)
- MID Luis Antonio Jimenez Garces (CHL)
- ATT Edinaldo Batista Libanio ‘Grafite' (BRA)
- ATT Jakson Avelino Coelho ‘Jaja' (BRA)
- DEF Yousuf Mohammad (LEB) A
Al AIN
Coach: Cosmin Olariou (ROM)
- MID Mirel Radoi (ROM)
- ATT Ignacio Scocco (ARG)
- ATT Yasir Al Qahtani (KSA) A
- ATT Asamoah Gyan (GHA)
AJMAN
Coach: Abdul Qader (IRQ/NZ)
- MID Karim Kerkar (FRE)
- ATT Ibrahima Toure (SEN)
- ATT Olivier Tia Tokbe (IVO)
- ATT Hassan Maatouk (LEB) A
BANI YAS
Coach: Jorvan Vieira (BRA)
- MID Fawzi Basheer (OMA)* A
- ATT Andre Senghor (SEN)*
- ATT David Trezeguet (FRA)
DUBAI
Coach: Umberto Romano (SWI/ITA)
- MID Faouzi Mubarak Aaish (BAH/MOR) A
- ATT Nabil Daoudi (MOR)
- MID Simon Feindouno (GUI)
- ATT Aboubacar M'Baye Camara (GUI)*
EMIRATES RAK
Coach: Ghazi Ghrairi (TUN)
- MID Pejman Nouri (IRA) A
- MID Jawad Ouaddouch (MOR)
- MID Mohsine Moutouali (MOR)
- ATT Alhassane Keita (GUI)
AL JAZIRA
Coach: Franky Vercauteren (BEL)
- MID Matias Delgado (ARG)*
- ATT Ricardo Oliviera (BRA)*
- ATT Jader Volnei Spindler ‘Bare' (BRA)*
- DEF Lucas Neill (AUS) A
AL NASR
Coach: Walter Zenga (ITA/ROM)
- MID Leo Lima (BRA)*
- ATT Carlos Tenorio (ECU)*
- ATT Esmail Bengoura (GUI)*
- DEF Mark Bresciano (AUS) A
AL SHABAB
Coach: Paulo Bonamigo (BRA)
- MID Carlos Villanueva (CHL)*
- ATT Jociel Ferreira da Silva ‘Ciel' (BRA)*
- MID Julio Cesar do Nascimento (BRA)*
- DEF Azizbek Haydarov (UZB) A
AL SHARJAH
Coach: Valeriu Tita (ROM)
- ATT Iman Mobali (IRA) A
- ATT Marcelo Oliveira Silva ‘Marcelinho' (BRA)*
- MID Eder Luciano "Edinho' (BRA)
- MID Vanderson Valter de Almeida ‘Vandinho' (BRA)
AL WAHDA
Coach: Josef Hickersberger (AUT)
- DEF Marcio Rodrigues ‘Magrao' (BRA)*
- MID Hugo Henrique Assis do Nascimento ‘Hugo' (BRA)*
- ATT Jaoa Fernando Nelo ‘Baiano' (BRA)*
AL WASL
Coach: Diego Maradona (ARG)
- MID Edson Puch (CHL)
- ATT Juan Manuel Olivera (URU)
- MID Mariano Donda (ARG)
- vacancy A
