Jason Denayer (27) was one of the most talked about Red Devils this summer. He waited a long time last transfer period to determine the path of his sporting future. Finally he found it at Shabab Al-Ahli, in Dubai. “Because that club wants to take prizes,” it says in a conversation with Eleven Sports.
The choice for Shabab Al-Ahli
Jason Denayer refused a contract extension at Olympique Lyon. The French club was playing a dirty game, he thought. He wanted to try his luck elsewhere.
Fulham, Celta de Vigo and Torino could not please Denayer. He was ready for a step up. But the real European top clubs did not come along.
There seemed to be no solution. Despite the time pressure, Denayer didn’t seem to succumb to the money from the Middle East either. Until it was well into September and Shabab Al-Ahli, from the United Arab Emirates, threw him a life preserver.
In a conversation with Eleven Sports, he explained that choice, among other things. “A lot has happened this summer,” Denayer explains his choice. “I got offers that seemed more interesting financially, but sportingly those clubs couldn’t offer me what this club offers me: the urge to win.”
I got more interesting proposals financially, but those clubs couldn’t offer me what Shabab Al-Ahli has to offer: the drive to win.
“Anyone who knows me well knows that that was also the motivation in my passages to Turkey, Scotland or France.”
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A future in Belgium? “Why not?”
No one expected at the end of last season that Jason Denayer would now continue his career in Dubai. “I respect that, I’m also very unpredictable,” Denayer nods.
“Now I’m here, but who knows in 2 to 3 years – or even next year – I’ll be somewhere else. I don’t focus on a particular competition or country. There are also other things that you have to take into account when making a transfer.”
“A lot of people think that footballers are alone, but we have a family. So yes, why should I not return to Belgium someday?” Denayer opens that door.
The defender has never played for a Belgian first division team. He left Lier when he was 18 to play with the youth of Manchester City.
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Qatar is not the very last chance for the Red Devils
Roberto Martinez fished Denayer, then still club and therefore unemployed, in his selection for the Nations League games against Wales and the Netherlands.
Denayer therefore seems to be in one of the top drawers of defenders of the national coach and can therefore hope for a selection for next month’s World Cup in Qatar.
A minor move for Denayer, who now resides in neighboring United Arab Emirates. And driven as he is, he would travel with ambition: “With a place in the final at the World Cup we could really take revenge for the past tournaments”, it sounds courageous.
With a place in the final at the World Cup, we could only really take revenge for the past tournaments.
He absolutely does not want to hear that it is the very last chance for what remains of the golden generation: “There are still good players coming, even if there is no Hazard or De Bruyne in that class yet.”
“It would be sad that after this World Cup we would no longer believe in the Red Devils. We must always remain positive and believe in it, why else do we play football?”
