Sweden centre forward Marcus Berg’s hopes of pushing through a moneymaking move to Al Ain received a significant boost on Friday night when Panathinaikos vowed they are “willing to work for a compromise”.
Berg, 30, was ordered to leave the Garden City in midweek after he spent time agreeing a three-year deal, worth €3 million (Dh12.3m) per annum, and viewing accommodation. The 2016/17 Superleague Greece’s 22-goal top scorer had travelled in the belief that a €2.5 million (Dh10.3m) switch was imminent, but his current employers raised their “perfectly reasonable” demands to €5.2 m (Dh21.4m) – a fee the Boss baulked at.
The ex-Hamburg and PSV Eindhoven star’s hopes of inking the most-lucrative deal of his career appeared over, prior to a desire being communicated that a reduced figure closer to €3.5-4m (Dh14.4-16.5m) would be acceptable.
“Panathinaikos did not intend to sell Marcus Berg,” read a club statement about the target man who has struck 12 times in 47 internationals. “But for his own reasons, he chose another path.
“The football club is willing to work for a compromise recognising the services that Marcus has offered to the group.”
If secured, Berg would present a significant improvement up top for a club who have struggled to replace the iconic Asamoah Gyan since his July 2015 sale to China’s Shanghai SIPG. Berg has scored 73 times in 116 top-flight games since his July 2013 arrival in Athens, plus he started June 9’s 2-1 victory for Sweden against France in World Cup 2018 qualifying.
Only Brazilian winger Caio, 23, will be retained from last term’s four-player foreign quota as Al Ain aim to dramatically improve during Croatian coach Zoran Mamic’s first full season in charge after a disappointing fourth-placed finish in the Arabian Gulf League.
Japan centre-back Tsukasa Shiotani of Sanfrecce Hiroshima has replaced South Korea anchorman Lee Mung-joo after three years of exemplary service.
The club had no desire to retain Saudi Arabia striker Nasser Al Shamrani, despite a four-month loan spell from Al Hilal – their 2017 AFC Champions League quarter-final opponents in two months – containing eight strikes in 10 AGL games. Turkey’s Bursaspor have bid €1.5m (Dh6.2m) for erratic Colombian winger Danilo Asprilla.
Meanwhile, Shabab Al Ahli Dubai Club’s inaugural roster has continued to take shape after Moldova forward Henrique Luvannor inked an extension.
Brazil-born Luvannor, 27, tweeted he had “no idea what’s happening” in the immediate aftermath of last month’s shock merger.
But a return of 25 goals in 67 AGL games at Al Shabab has convinced Romanian supremo Cosmin Olaroiu to retain him in the non-Emirati quartet, alongside his ex-Al Ahli charge Makhete Diop of Senegal.
