Miralem Pjanic's arrival a major coup for Sharjah and proof of UAE football's pull

A transfer window that appeared to peak with a couple of high-profile European recruits added an even loftier talent this week.

After Paco Alcacer and Andriy Yarmolenko – summer acquisitions at Sharjah and Al Ain respectively – Barcelona midfielder Miralem Pjanic touched down in Dubai to sign an initial two-year contract with Sharjah.

A long-established Bosnia and Herzegovina international, Pjanic is a winner of four Serie A titles and a Uefa Champions League finalist. Two years ago, he traded Juventus for Barcelona for a reported €60 million. Apparently, manager Xavi wanted to retain him now, only for Pjanic, 32, to leave on a free transfer.

Granted, the midfielder's time at the Nou Camp did not play out as expected; he referenced as much on Wednesday in a heartfelt social-media tribute to his former employers.

Pjanic made only 30 appearances at Barca, all of which came during that first season. Last year, when one of European football’s true superpowers struggled on and off the pitch, he was loaned to Turkey’s Besiktas. There, he did not quite hit the heights anticipated either, even if he did lift the Turkish Super Cup.

However, Pjanic represents both a considerable coup for Sharjah and for UAE football, for sure. It can be billed as another very recent example that the Adnoc Pro League's pull is, perhaps slowly and most certainly following a lengthy fallow, returning.

Without doubt, it is some time since a player of Pjanic’s pedigree opted to ply their trade in the Emirates. Fabio Cannavaro in 2010. David Trezequet the following year. Luca Toni 12 months after that. Mirko Vucinic in 2014.

مزيجـاً مـن موهبـة زيـدان وسحـر بيرلـو