Miralem Pjanic joins Sharjah from Barcelona in UAE Pro League’s biggest coup in years

07.09.2022 - 21:39 arabnews.com

SHARJAH, United Arab Emirates: Another day, another eye-catching ADNOC Pro League addition. It is not hyperbole, however, to describe Miralem Pjanic’s decision to swap Barcelona for Sharjah as the division’s boldest move in a decade.

The cultured Bosnia and Herzegovina midfielder’s switch — on a lucrative two-year contract, with a one-year option to extend — is a statement of intent designed to reverberate far beyond the UAE’s borders.

Fabio Cannavaro, Luca Toni and David Trezeguet were the last imports of similar prestige to the four-time Serie A winner. This move is a tier above that of fellow Sharjah recruit Paco Alcacer and champions Al-Ain’s standout pre-season addition, Andriy Yarmolenko.

Such is its profile, that football transfer doyen Fabrizio Romano chronicled Pjanic’s journey to feverish reaction on social media.

Football Champions League RB Leipzig Serie A Chelsea Ronald Koeman Fabio Cannavaro Fabrizio Romano Bundesliga Qatar Italy Uae Saudi Arabia Afghanistan Pakistan Bosnia And Hzegovina

UAE side Sharjah have signed Kostas Manolas, the former Roma and Napoli defender, from Olympiacos.

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