TRANSFER TRACKER REPORT: Transfer
FC Dallas announced today the transfer of Mauro Diaz to Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai FC of the UAE Arabian Gulf League. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“I know this may not be the most ideal time to say goodbye, especially in a season in which we are doing so well but, this is a great opportunity for my family and for me,” Diaz said in a statement. “I will always be thankful for everything. I want you to know you will always be in my heart.”
Diaz arrived in Dallas from River Plate on July 17, 2013 and became one of the league’s top playmakers when healthy.
The Argentine spent the first half of the 2017 season recovering from an Achilles injury. Diaz sat out FC Dallas’ last three matches — a 3-0 road loss to the New York Red Bulls and a 1-0 win over Minnesota United FC in league play and a dramatic U.S. Open Cup defeat to Sporting Kansas City.
“This is a great opportunity for Mauro and his family,” said FC Dallas president Dan Hunt. “While we hate to see Mauro leave the organization, this was the right time for him. We appreciate everything Mauro did for FC Dallas during his remarkable time here.”
Diaz scored 23 goals and 44 assists in 109 regular-season MLS appearances (84 starts), plus five assists in six MLS Cup Playoffs appearances. He was an integral piece for the FCD team that won the double, capturing the Supporters’ Shield and U.S. Open Cup. He was named to the Best XI that season, as he registered five goals and 13 assists in 27 matches.
Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai FC are seven-time UAE league champions and were runners-up in the Asian Champions League in 2015, though they finished in fifth place in the 2017-18 season, which ended in April.
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