Al Wasl team manager remains confident they can reunite last season’s successful foreign quartet after the club began negotiations to permanently acquire Brazilian forwards Caio Canedo and Ederson Alves.
The Cheetahs’ expats excelled last season, scoring 46 of the club’s 53 league goals as they finished a creditable sixth under coach Gabriel Calderon. Key midfielder Hugo Viana, 32, has already inked a new one-year deal, while attacker Fabio De Lima will undertake the second of a two-season loan.
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This has left question marks about the remaining pair. Attempts to secure them on fresh temporary deals have failed, though Obaidallah revealed a change in approach could see Caio, 24, bought from Internacional and Ederson, 26, from Atletico Paranaense.
“We have made offers to buy Caio and Ederson from their clubs and we are in negotiations to secure them,” he said. “Nothing has been decided yet, but we are hopeful.
“We hope to be able to make more progress with them in the next week.”
Wasl, though, are linked with other players, as Caio is rumoured to be interesting Botafogo. Reports in Italy claimed they wanted Lazio midfielder Cristian Ledesma, while reports in South America stated they were chasing Racing Club striker Wason Renteria.
“Our priority is to continue with the four foreign players from last season, that is our wish,” Obaidallah said. “We are working to make sure Gabriel Calderon has all four of those players.”