Video evidence: Yasser Al Qhatani (Middlesbrough & Wigan)

The conveyor belt of Arab footballers continues to turn speedily, with reports breaking in Arabia that the JJB could soon house not only Amr Zaki, but also a fellow Middle Eastern star Yasser Al Qhatani.

Rumours have started to fly around the Gulf tagging Al Qhatani with a move to the Premier League, after the captain of Saudi Arabia was pinned down by reporters at the launch of his “Face of Gillette in the Middle East” campaign yesterday.

Al Qhatani, a 26-year-old striker presently plying his trade with Al Hilal, was not backwards in coming forward with his career ambitions. “I am quite eager and anxious to join a European league. I think it is the dream of every player to play at the top level to improve his skills… I like the idea of playing with [Amr] Zaki and I hope that a deal can happen, I am open to a move. If there is a good contract, then there is no problem… My ultimate ambition is to play in the Premier League.”

Nicknamed “The Sniper” because of his goal celebration, Al Qhatani is a striker with realistic ambitions of making it in Europe. He is a goalscoring machine, having clocked up an impressive record of 46 goals in 55 appearances for his country, alongside a superb club record of 37 goals in 48 games for Al Hilal.

Wearing his number 20 shirt, Al Qhatani broke his World Cup duck scoring against Tunsia in Germany 2006. He then went on to be top goalscorer in the 2007 Asian Cup (all Saudi Arabia’s goals can be seen here), whilst also commanding the record for the highest ever transfer fee ever paid between two Saudi clubs ($10 million) when he moved from Al-Qadisiya in 2005.

Video evidence of Yasser Al Qhatani can be seen here.