Star forward Ahmed Khalil appears back on course to make the 2019 Asian Cup after he was named in the UAE’s final 26-man preliminary training squad before the competition begins.

Khalil, 27, missed out on last month’s friendlies against Bolivia and Yemen because of nagging fitness and conditioning issues. The 2015 AFC Player of the Year has, however, gone on to feature in all four of Shabab Al Ahli Dubai Club’s subsequent Arabian Gulf League fixtures, scoring his only goal of the campaign in November 24’s 5-0 win at Al Dhafra.

A fully fit Khalil will be the vital to the host’s hopes of success. This follows the likely season-ending knee injury suffered by pivotal playmaker Omar Abdulrahman in October while with Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal.

Coach Alberto Zaccheroni’s list did not include Al Ain’s usual large contingent, because of their ongoing 2018 Club World Cup commitments. The initial call-ups began training at Dubai’s state-of-the-art Nad Al Sheba complex on Saturday afternoon, with the final 23-man roster for the continental competition set to be submitted to the AFC on December 26.

With up to eight players being drawn at a later date from the Boss’ ranks, major changes are expected.

Surprise selections included Al Jazira’s usually overlooked midfielder Mohamed Jamal, Al Wasl right-back Salem Al Azizi and forward Mohammed Khalfan from promoted Fujairah.

Friendly opponents are yet to be named by the UAE Football Association. Zaccheroni has overseen just three wins from 11 fixtures this year.

The Whites meet Bahrain in Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Sports City for January 5’s big kick-off. They round out their Group A-commitments against India on January 10, before moving to Al Ain’s Hazza bin Zayed Stadium for January 14’s meeting with Thailand.