I can always return to Europe: Dejagah

Tehran Times – DOHA, Iran international Ashkan Dejagah joined the Qatari club Al Arabi from Fulham for a fee of £5 million, signing a four-year contract last week.

After the transfer, many Iranian fans said Dejagah’s football career was finished with the move and he would not be able to play at the top level in Europe again.

In an interview with Fars News Agency, Dejagah discussed his transfer to Al Arabi.

Following are excerpts of the interview:

Q: Why did you choose Al Arabi to continue your career?

A: I’m 28 and big clubs in Europe are looking for young talent, so I decided to build my future. The Al Arabi offer was very good financially, so I decided to continue my football in Qatar. Certainly, there are a lot of differences between the Qatar League and European leagues, but I will play like I’m playing for a big European club.

Q: Do you think you can return to Europe again?

A: Why not. I played seven years in the German Bundesliga and two years in the English Premier League. Then I decided to experience a new challenge in a new atmosphere, and I moved to Qatar. A lot of people are saying my career is finished with this move, but there were a lot of big players who moved to Asian football and then returned to Europe after a couple of years.

Q: Tell us about your latest situation at Al Arabi?

A: Everything is all right. We are in a camp in Germany now, preparing for the new season. Dan Petrescu is a famous coach, who is really professional in his job. After Felix Magath, I believe he is the best coach I’ve ever worked with.

Q: Do you think Iran has the potential to win the AFC Asian Cup in Australia?

A: We played good football at the World Cup, but I believe we could perform better at the Asian Cup. If we continue with coach Carlos Queiroz, we will have a chance to win the Asian Cup.