S\u00e3o Paulo \u2013 Moroccan Zakaria Labyad arrived in Brazil on Sunday (8) to join Corinthians. The midfielder was scheduled to undergo medical exams on Monday (9) before being officially announced as a reinforcement for the S\u00e3o Paulo state club\u2019s 2026 season. Corinthians coach Dorival Jr. said the signing was not his request, but that Zakaria will be an important player.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cZakaria wasn\u2019t my request, but I\u2019m here to coach the team. I\u2019ll work with the squad I\u2019m given. I know little about the player, just some information from Memphis (Depay). Let him come and contribute; he\u2019ll be treated very well. It wasn\u2019t my recommendation, but that\u2019s not a problem. He will be an important player,\u201d Dorival told the press.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At 32, Zakaria\u2019s last club was China\u2019s Dalian Yingbo at the end of last year. He has been without a team since then and joins Corinthians on a free transfer. Zakaria Labyad played alongside Memphis Depay, Corinthians\u2019 current forward, at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). It was at the French club, in the 2009\u20132010 season, that he was promoted to the professional team at just 17 years old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before playing for China\u2019s Dalian Yingbo, the Moroccan played for clubs such as Sporting in Portugal, Vitesse and Ajax in the Netherlands, and Fulham in England, among others. Zakaria Labyad is part of Morocco\u2019s men\u2019s national football team. The player visited Neo Qu\u00edmica Arena after arriving on Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the end of last year, another Arab player, Algerian Bilal Brahimi, joined another Brazilian team, Santos. The forward, however, was loaned this month by the Baixada Santista club to Estrela da Amadora in Portugal, where he is expected to stay until midyear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Read more<\/em>: Translated by Guilherme Miranda<\/strong><\/p>\n
The top footballers from the Arab world<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n