Riyadh lays red carpet for Omar

dubai — The biggest transfer saga in Middle East football history is about to reach its conclusion and while it seems that Omar Abdulrahman loan switch to Al Hilal seems to be wrapped and sealed, it remains the best kept football secret.

The ace UAE and Al Ain’s playmaker landed at the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at 5 am (6 am UAE time) on Wednesday and was accorded a hero’s welcome with thousands of Al Hilal fans cheering their new superstar and clicking pictures and videos.

The 26-year-old was escorted out of the airport by an Al Hilal official as well as police officers and security personnel. Such a reception is usually reserved for top football stars from Europe but with the record 15-time Saudi Professional League champions landing the best player in Asia and the 2016 Asian Player of the Year, nothing short of a red carpet would suffice for their hero’s homecoming of sorts.

Omar was one of their own a decade ago when he began his youth career at Al Hilal. He would stay for five seasons before making the big move to UAE and Al Ain.

Social media was abuzz with Al Hilal fans expressing their joy and happiness as well as sharing photos and videos of Omar’s arrival on Twitter, Instagram and other platforms. He was one of the top trending topics on social media on Wednesday.

Omar left the Airport wearing an Al Hilal scarf around his shoulders and was later pictured wearing the club’s jersey.

Al Hilal are yet to make an official announcement but the switch has smashed the Middle East transfer record and at 14 million Euros, is the second biggest loan deal after Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain’s move from Serie A giants Juventus to AC Milan. Higuain’s loan fee is said to be 18 million Euros.