Barcelona’s legendary midfielder, Andres Iniesta has officially signed a contract with UAE Pro League outfit Emirates Club on a free transfer.
Iniesta terminated his contract with Vissel Kobe, a J-League club, in the middle of the season, making the Spaniard a free agent.
Meanwhile, there were rumors connecting him to a potential move to Inter Miami in the MLS for a two-year contract, which would have allowed him to reunite with his former Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi.
However, he has decided to stay in Asia and join the UAE Pro League on a free transfer.
After departing Barcelona in 2018, he joined Vissel Kobe and successfully guided the club to their inaugural title the subsequent year.
They emerged victorious in the Emperor’s Cup and also made an impressive run to the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League, marking their debut in the continental competition.
In addition, the 39-year-old player had a successful tenure at the Japanese club, making 134 appearances.
During this time, they achieved notable victories, including winning the domestic Emperor’s Cup in 2019 and the Japanese Super Cup the following year.
On July 1st, the 39-year-old Spaniard ended his stint with Japanese team Vissel Kobe during the middle of the J-League season after spending five years with the club.
The reason he decided to leave Kobe according to ESPN report, was that he only made six appearances for the team last season, despite being a World Cup winner.
Last month, Iniesta expressed his frustration about not being chosen to play despite dedicating himself to training wholeheartedly, according to ESPN.
He said: “Over the course of these five years, I have encountered numerous experiences, making it a significant period of time.”
Upon joining The Emirates Club, which is located in Ras Al-Khaimah, the club shared a photo of Iniesta donning their shirt and mentioned that the details of the contract would be revealed during a press conference scheduled today, August 9.
The Emirates Club, which earned a promotion to the top flight of the UAE last season, recently shared a post on social media to welcome Iniesta, saying: “Welcome Iniesta.”
Andres Iniesta’s achievements
After a remarkable 22-year career at Barcelona, Iniesta decided to move to Japan.
During his time at Barcelona, he achieved an impressive record of 32 trophies and made a total of 674 senior appearances for the Catalans.
The numerous trophies he won with Barcelona include nine La Liga titles and four Champions League titles.
He earned 133 caps with the Spanish national team and played a crucial role in their victories at the 2010 World Cup, as well as the consecutive European Championships in 2008 and 2012.
What’s next for Iniesta?
Andres Iniesta is likely to make his debut for the UAE Pro League outfit Emirates Club as they will start their campaign against Al-Wasl on August 19th.
What’s your take on Iniesta snubbing Lionel Messi’s Miami to Join the Emirate club? Share your thoughts with us in the comments box below:
