Al-Arabi completes foreign player squad with Senegal defender Rasoul

Senegalese defender Jawher Khadim Rasoul

KUWAIT CITY, July 19: Al-Arabi has completed its foreign-player roster after signing Senegalese defender Jawher Khadim Rasoul, who becomes the club's fifth overseas player for the new season.

Rasoul joins Brazilians Leonardo Sheldon and Lucas Chalon, Nigerian Anabo Iwala, and Ethiopian Kenan Maliko, completing Al-Arabi's foreign contingent.

The arrival of the 30-year-old defender appears to have ended Palestinian forward Zaid Qunbar's hopes of remaining with the club for another campaign.

Rasoul began his professional career with Belgian side Lokeren, where he played from 2015 to 2019, before moving on to Turkish clubs Adana and Anagold Spor, Romanian outfit UTA Arad, and Iraqi side Duhok, whom he represented last season.

Al-Arabi is now awaiting the arrival of Croatian head coach Goran Sablić at the team's training camp in Türkiye, where he will assess the squad before confirming the final list of foreign players for the upcoming season.

Meanwhile, Al-Salmiya has bolstered its attacking options by signing Bahraini international Abdullah Yusuf.

The striker has represented Bahrain at the international level and previously featured for Czech champions Slavia Prague, making appearances in the UEFA Champions League group stage. His career has also included spells with East Riffa and Muharraq in Bahrain, Czech clubs Bohemians 1905, Slovan Liberec, and Mladá Boleslav, as well as Indonesian side Persija Jakarta.

The Sky Blues have also added six domestic players to their squad ahead of the new campaign: Abdullah Al-Jazzaf from Al-Tadamon, Aqeel Al-Hazim from Al-Yarmouk, Ahmed Khorsheed and Abdullah Al-Ayoub from Al-Arabi, Fahad Al-Omairi from Kazma, and Khaled Al-Othman from Kuwait Club.

Earlier, Al-Salmiya renewed the contracts of Naif Zuweid, Ahmed Boumaryoum, Omar Ali, Isa Waleed, Abdulmohsen Al-Turkimani, Ahmed Aidan, and goalkeeper Yousef Al-Kandari, while also bringing back Mubarak Al-Fanaini following three years with Al-Qadsia.

The club has also parted ways with Bahraini midfielder Sayed Diaa and Syrian defender Amro Midani, opting not to extend their contracts after last season. Al-Salmiya thanked both players for their services and wished them success in the future.

Kazma begins pre-season training this evening under Croatian head coach Dragan Tadić as they prepare for the new season, which will include participation in the GCC Champions League.

The Orange side has retained Yemeni Nasser Mohammadoh and Algerian Idriss Chaabi, while recruiting Brazilian Patrick Robson, Senegalese Amath Ndao, Fahad Al-Hajri, and renewing the contract of Nasser Lafi as they continue to strengthen the squad.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff