Tag Archives: Vissel Kobe

Andres Iniesta Joins United Arab Emirates Pro League Side Emirates Club

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Andres Iniesta is headed to the Middle East.

The 39-year-old  Spanish soccer legend has joined United Arab Emirates Pro League side Emirates Club on a one-year contract.

Andres Iniesta, Iniesta, a Spain international and Barcelona legend arrived in Dubai on Monday ahead of signing his deal.

The veteran midfielder will have an option to extend his stay until June 2025.

Iniesta, who spent the last five seasons playing in Japan for Vissel Kobe, joins Emirates Club as a free agent.

He’s eager to have more playing time having clocked just 94 minutes across 18 appearances for Kobe last season.

“There was difficulty in not being picked to play after putting my heart into training,” Iniesta said last month after playing his last game for Vissel Kobe. “I’ve experienced a lot of things over these five years, which is a long time.”

Iniesta scored the winning goal for Spain in the 2010 World Cup final. He also was a key part of Spain’s two European Championship wins, in 2008 and 2012.

Iniesta began his career at Barcelona and won nine league titles and four Champions League among other trophies in his 16 seasons at the club.

Julian Araujo to Join the LaLiga Side Las Palmas on a Season-Long Loan

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Julian Araujo is switching teams…

The 21-year-old Mexican American professional footballer and Barcelona defender will join the LaLiga side Las Palmas on a season-long loan, according to ESPN.

Julian Araujo The Mexico international will fly to the Canary Islands this week to complete the move, which will not include an option to make the deal permanent.

Araujo joined Barca from LA Galaxy last season, but has been unable to make his competitive debut for the club because his signing was completed outside of the transfer window.

Since February, he has been training with the first team, featuring in a friendly against Vissel Kobe at the start of June, during which time coach Xavi Hernandez was able to assess him.

Sources added that Barca have decided his development will be best served on loan at a Spanish club this season, allowing him regular minutes and giving him the chance to adapt to LaLiga.

Las Palmas, coached by former Barca B boss Garcia Pimienta, returned to the Spanish top flight last season after finishing second in the Segunda Division behind Granada.

Araujo’s move to Barca made headlines in January because the documents to register the deal missed the January 31 deadline by a matter of seconds.

Despite that, Barcelona still completed the transfer, bringing him to the club in February, allowing him to train with the team and get acclimated to a new country.

The California-born Araujo, who made over 100 appearances for the Galaxy in MLS, had previously been capped by the United States at youth and senior level, although in 2021 he declared for Mexico, the homeland of his parents.

He has since made 10 appearances for El Tri and was part of the squad, which won the Gold Cup this summer, although he was an unused substitute in the final against Panama.