Abu Dhabi: Bani Yas’s new boss, the Uruguayan Pablo Repetto, arrived in the UAE at the weekend amid reports that he is preparing to make his compatriot Gaston Rodriguez his first signing.
Gulf News understands the Sky Blues are rivalling the Italian Serie A club Pescara for the Montevideo Wanderers winger’s services, but his shared nationality with Repetto could prove decisive.
Rodriguez, 24, has excellent pedigree, having struck 19 goals in 27 Primera Division games last season and 45 in total in five seasons with Los Negriazules.
He is predominantly left-footed and can operate on either wing or as an attacking midfielder and would likely replace the Dutch winger, Royston Drenthe, who failed to shine in his one season at Bani Yas.
His arrival would be a huge boon for Sky Blues fans, who endured a year to forget last season after their side finished a disappointing ninth place in the Arabian Gulf League after a promising start.
Repetto’s appointment will also be a great source of encouragement, give the 42-year-old’s heroics with the Ecuadorian minnows, Independiente del Valle.
He departed the club after leading them to the Copa Libertadores final, where they succumbed 2-1 on aggregate to Colombia’s Atletico Nacional on Wednesday evening.
En route to the final, however, Independiente overcame the Argentinian giants, River Plate and Boca Juniors.
Such “outstanding results”, according to a Bani Yas press statement, persuaded Sky Blues bosses to offer him a two-year deal with the option of a third.
They had previously held talks with the former Argentine international and Paraguay coach, Ramon Diza, and the ex-Colombia and Ecuador boss, Reinaldo Rueda.
Repetto, who replaces Dr Abdullah Misfir in the hotseat after the former UAE Under-23 left at the end of last season, will now lead Bani Yas on their pre-season tour of the Netherlands from August 1-22. His squad has already been bolstered by the arrival of Al Nasr defender Ali Al Ameri, 27, on Thursday following the earlier signing of the Brazilian midfielder, Fellipe Bastos, from Al Ain.
Elsewhere, Bani Yas’s fellow Abu Dhabi side, Al Jazira, have suffered a frustrating last couple of days in the transfer market.
The Pride of Abu Dhabi have had a bid rejected — thought to be in the region of £800,000 (Dh3.9m) or £1m (Dh4.86m) for the 30-year-old Newcastle United defensive midfielder, Cheick Tiote.
And they have also missed out signing on their former midfielder, Ebrahim Diaky, who has chosen to sign a one-year contract extension at Al Ain – despite being set for a move to Jazira.
The 34-year-old Ivorian had been training with the Jazira at their pre-season camp in the Netherlands, but on Friday opted against moving to the club he represented between 2005 and 2013.
Al Ain had hoped to snare Al Jazira’s UAE striker, Ali Mabkhout, as part of a deal for Diaky and their defender Mohammad Fawzi.
Al Jazira were vigorously opposed to letting their leading forward go, however, although they are still expected to sign Fawzi.
Meanwhile, Mabkhout has shown he is in the same type of form which yielded 23 goals in 26 AGL last season, as he netted the only goal in the UAE’s 1-0 friendly win over Spanish La Liga outfit Las Palmas on Thursday evening.
Mahdi Ali’s men are in Spain for two more weeks to prepare for the final round of 2018 World Cup qualifiers, which begin with a trip to Japan on September 1.
