Captain Canedo tells Al Wasl that he wants a new deal and to win trophies
Al Wasl captain Caio Canedo has called on the club to give him a better contract as the forward weighs up whether to remain at the Dubai side.
Caio, 28, joined in 2014 and has gone on to lead Wasl to secondand third-placed finishes in the Arabian Gulf League, and last season to the final of both the Arabian Gulf Cup and President’s Cup.
However, the club have yet to land any silverware during his time there.
Still, Caio has scored 66 goals in 111 league matches for the Zabeel Stadium side, forming a potent partnership with fellow Brazilian Fabio de Lima.
Caio caused controversy recently, though, when he suggested on social media that his time at Wasl could be coming to an end.
The former Internacional striker, whose contract runs through to 2022, was this week linked with a move to current UAE champions Al Ain. Likewise, De Lima’s future continues to be subject to much speculation.
Yet, seeking to clarify his stance, Caio said he preferred to remain at Wasl – if the club match his ambition.
“There was a little bit of a situation with me: if I’m going to stay, if I’m going to go out,” he said. “But I want to be a champion. If the club is not thinking about me, I’d rather go somewhere else. I don’t want only to compete; I want to win. Which is why I put that thing on Instagram and was talking about my feelings, the whole situation about my contract.
“I’m 28-years-old, I need a better contract. Especially for everything I am for the club: I’m the captain, I try to be an example for all the young players, I try to help the administration.
“Players like Fabio and me, you don’t find easily. It’s not just technique or talent, it’s character. It’s heart. You don’t buy this.
“That’s why I told the club, why I exposed my situation. We have to sit down and talk. I told them I need a better contract.
“I will let them talk, decide and see if we can reach an agreement that I think I deserve. If not, we’ll see something else.”
Caio said he is attracting interest from a number of clubs, including those based in the UAE and Brazil.
His agent was set to arrive in Dubai this week to discuss with Wasl an improvement on the deal he signed in December 2017.
“I will always give Al Wasl priority because Al Wasl opened the doors for me in the UAE,” Caio said. “Like I said, I need to think a little about me now, about my family. What I want is a better contract, that’s all.
“I’m not fighting; I would never fight. I have a good relationship with the president, with [CEO] Mohammed Al Amri. We can sit down and talk like professionals. And that’s what’s going to happen. I just want them to know what kind of players they have.
“I pass the ball to the administration. They have to help me; they need to make a project for me. I’m waiting. Hopefully, we can come to an agreement.
“I’ve been here five years, but haven’t won anything as a group. Individually it has been beautiful: I score more than 30 goals each season. But I want to win. I want to put my photo there on the wall. I have ambitions, especially as a captain. I want to lift a trophy.”