Ghana legend Asamoah Gyan has revealed that the most fulfilling period of his football career came during his time in the United Arab Emirates, despite widespread criticism surrounding his move there.
Following his outstanding performances at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Gyan joined English Premier League side Sunderland on a four-year deal from French club Stade Rennais for a then club-record fee of £13 million.
However, the former Liberty Professionals striker shocked many when he left Sunderland to join UAE giants Al Ain on a loan deal, a move that attracted heavy backlash at the time.
Speaking in an interview with former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, Gyan admitted that his spell in the Gulf remains the highlight of his career.
“Surprisingly, my best time was in the UAE. I did great at Sunderland, but unfortunately, I had to leave,” Gyan said.
The former Black Stars captain also clarified the circumstances that led to his departure from the Premier League.
“There were a lot of stories coming up at that time, but it was Sunderland who asked me to leave because of the deal that came in,” he explained.
“It was a loan deal, and the club felt they could capitalise on it. The idea was that I would go and then come back. That was what I was thinking, but when I went there, I fell in love with the place, so I focused on the option to buy,” he added.
Gyan went on to enjoy a hugely successful spell at Al Ain, spending five seasons at the club and scoring an impressive 95 goals in 83 appearances before later moving to Chinese side Shanghai SIPG.
