Jonathan Pitroipa confident good times ahead with Al Jazira

The Burkina Faso winger moves to the Arabian Gulf League side from Rennes.

Burkina Faso winger Jonathan Pitroipa, left, has joined Al Jazira. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National
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ABU DHABI // Jonathan Pitroipa believes he can win trophies with Al Jazira after signing a three-year deal with the club.
The Burkina Faso international forward arrived from French club Rennes and was officially introduced by the club last night at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in a news conference.
"I think I have the speed, dribbling skills and more importantly, I'll play for the team with the objective of winning trophies," Pitroipa said when asked what he brings to his new club.
"It is a new experience and a new life for me, playing for the first time in the region. I am very thankful for Jazira for providing me with this opportunity and a good deal."
Pitroipa, 28, said he did not make up his mind to move to the UAE until he visited the club.
"I was impressed by my first visit to Abu Dhabi," he said. "I agreed on a deal after seeing the infrastructure, facilities and learning more about the club and the country's football.
"There are a lot of good players in the Arabian Gulf League and football is continuing to develop in the country. I believe there are lots of young Emirati players emerging from the academies. I have already had a couple of training sessions and enjoying the atmosphere and the company of my teammates."
The Player of the Tournament at last year's African Cup of Nations said he turned down an offer to play in Qatar last year.
"I thought that wasn't the right time for a move," he said. "This time, when I received the offer from Jazira, I decided to make a visit to the club. It wasn't a difficult decision."
Pitroipa completes Jazira's foreign quartet for the new Arabian Gulf League season. Mirko Vucinic, the Montenegro forward from Juventus, replaced the Ecuadorean strike Felipe Caicedo. Jazira retained Moroccan midfielder Abdelaziz Barrada, and Jucilei, the Brazilian midfielder, now qualifies as the Asian player after obtaining a Palestine passport.
"Jonathan has been playing most of his football in Germany and France for top clubs and brings a lot of experience with him to Jazira," said Ayedh Mabkhout, the team manager.
"We hope he can transfer his experience and contribute to the success of the club in the new season. The club management has done everything possible to get Jazira back in winning trophies."
apassela@thenational.ae