Al Jazira end talks with pricey Gervinho
‘Excessive demands’ put an end to negotiations with exArsenal forward
Gervinho has become the second big name after Luiz Adriano to talk himself out of a move to the Arabian Gulf League this week.
The 28-year-old Ivorian forward was subject to a €13 million (Dh53.3 million) move to Al Jazira from Italy’s AS Roma, but the former Arsenal player’s “excessive demands” have reportedly put an end to the transfer.
“The deal hit a stumbling block because of the excessive demands on his four-year deal,” an Al Jazira source told press. “He started making outrageous demands, so the transfer is off. It is better for us to call this transfer off now, rather than live with a player for a few months who is likely to cause problems because of his wage demands,” he added.
This is the second high profile collapse in negotiations after Adriano refused to discuss personal terms with Al Ahli. The Red Knights had an €8 million bid for the 28-year-old approved by his Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk last week, but the Brazilian striker backed out of the deal.
Al Jazira have also announced the departure of Brazilian-Palestinian midfielder Jucilei Da Silva. The 27-yearold former Anzhi Makhachkala player has joined China’s Shandong Luneng Taishan for an undisclosed fee.
Jucilei’s Palestinian citizenship enabled him to occupy Al Jazira’s Asian player slot and his departure now leaves the club in search of an Asian replacement. So far, Al Jazira have only confirmed an €11 million move for Brazilian midfielder Thiago Neves, 30, from Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal.
Elsewhere, Dutch-Moroccan winger Adnane Tighadouini, 22, has asked his Dutch club NAC Breda for more time to consider what his agent Hakim Slimani has said is a “staggering” offer from Bani Yas. Spain’s Real Sociedad are also interested in the player who scored 14 goals in the Dutch Eredivisie last season. But Tighadouini, who has also been linked with PSV Eindhoven, Udinese and his a return to his former club Vitesse, has had his head turned with a move to the UAE.
Taking time to think
“The other [offer] is outside the Netherlands in a European competition,” he said of Real Sociedad’s interest. “NAC know I want to take a moment to think. I want to lay everything next to each other and then see how it is.”
If successful, Bani Yas’ move for Tighadouini would be the second confirmed transfer after 29-year-old Australian midfielder Mark Milligan joined from Australia’s Melboune Victory for A$1 million (Dh2.875 million).
Meanwhile, reports in the Brazilian press suggest Al Ain have approached Vasco Da Gama’s 25-year-old Brazilian midfielder Felipe Bastos. Al Ain had offered €1.5 million for the player last year but negotiations fell through, according to reports. Al Ain are also in ongoing negotiations with Chelsea’s Nigerian midfielder John Obi Mikel, 28, and Dutch former Ajax and Liverpool striker Ryan Babel, 28, from Turkey’s Kasimpasa.