Diego Forlan loan deal off, says Al Wasl

The proposed deal to bring Diego Forlan, the Uruguayan international striker, to Al Wasl on loan next season has fallen through, the club confirmed today.

“I received a final answer from Atletico Madrid who regrettably told me that they could not loan us their player for a year," said Marwan bin Bayat, the Wasl chairman.

Al Wasl, who have recently appointed Diego Maradona as head coach, had hoped to bring the experienced Forlan on loan from the Spanish giants Atletico Madrid as the club's first marquee signing.

The 31-year-old Forlan had agreed to join Wasl in principle, the Dubai club revealed yesterday, but Atletico have not agreed to release their striker — who scored eight goals in the Primera Liga last season — for a whole year.

Bin Bayat says the club will continue the search to find a key striker, now the Forlan deal has broken down.

“Now the direction has changed," bin Bayat said. "Now we have to think about someone like a true striker; someone who loves scoring goals. This is my definition of who we should get.

“We have certain names in mind. I can’t mention then because they have their own contracts now with their own clubs and we respect that, however, we are having negotiations every day with players and clubs. We just need a yes from someone.”

ncameron@thenational.ae