From Saudi Arabia to UAE, Brad Young is Thriving on his Middle East Football Odyssey
After a season playing against Cristiano Ronaldo and other Saudi Pro League stars, the young English striker begins a new chapter in the UAE
With his unmistakable strawberry blond hair and fair complexion, 22-year-old Brad Young might not be what you expect when picturing a footballer acclimatising to the searing August heat of Abu Dhabi. But for the former Aston Villa academy product, the heat is just another challenge in his rapidly developing career across the Middle East.
“It is hot, and it is about getting used to the weather,” said Young. “We train in it every day so I’m progressing, and I think I’m getting used to it now. In Saudi it was the same, but here it is even hotter.”
The English forward recently joined Baniyas Club in the UAE Pro League after a rollercoaster season in the Saudi Pro League (SPL) with Al Orobah, based in the northern town of Sakaka. Despite the club’s relatively modest stature, Young found himself lining up against tremendous talents including N’Golo Kante, Ruben Neves, and Joao Cancelo.
“Everyone has a lot of stuff to say about Saudi but look at the quality of players they have in the league there,” said Young. “It speaks for itself. Yes, there are some players who are getting to the end of their careers and want to get a paycheck, but I looked at it in a different way.”
From competing in the Cymru Premier—the top-flight of Welsh football—he earned a remarkable $250,000 move to Al Orobah, the highest fee ever paid for a player from that league. However, the payment delay led to a transfer embargo for the Saudi club. Undeterred, Young seized his opportunity.
“I was a young player at the time, playing in the Welsh league. I could have played in [England’s] League One or Two, but chose Saudi. The quality of players that are in the league is levels above the English leagues. It worked out in my favour.”
Among his most memorable moments in Saudi football was a 2-1 triumph over Al Nassr, a high-profile game featuring Cristiano Ronaldo and former Aston Villa player Jhon Duran.
“Unai Emery didn’t see me fitting into the first team,” Young says of his time at Villa. “I listened to the academy manager, listened to my agent, and everyone said the Welsh league was the best going forward. Luckily it has turned out that way.”
After Al Orobah’s relegation from the second division, Young joined Baniyas on a free transfer. He acknowledges the tough task ahead—Baniyas only managed to stay in the UAE Pro League by a single position last season and have already suffered two losses early this campaign.
Still, he remains optimistic: “I enjoyed my time in Saudi and it was a big step in terms of where I have come from. It was a privilege to play in a league with top quality players, but this move came from me wanting to play in the UAE.”
“It is a tough league which is getting better each year. Quality players are here. But most importantly, for my family, it is obviously a great place to live. Probably the best place in the world.”
With a coaching team featuring a blend of nationalities—Bulgarian manager, Bosnian staff, and a multi-national squad including players from Cameroon, Ghana, Brazil, Tunisia, Belgium, and Uzbekistan—Young admits he’s settling into a global footballing community.
One teammate of note is fellow new signing Mackenzie Hunt, a Liverpool-born midfielder raised in Dubai who now represents the UAE national team.
Young is not ruling out a similar path for himself: “It is something that I would be interested in,” he said of potentially representing the UAE after five years of residency. “Having spoken to Mackenzie, he has nothing but great things to say about the country and the national team. I want to take it one step at a time. I’m only into my second game. We are all new boys wanting to get used to the system. Inshallah, it progresses in the future.”
From Oswestry and the Welsh borderlands to dazzling nights under Arabian skies, Brad Young’s unlikely football journey continues to blossom, one game at a time.
Team V.DIR-EM-UAE
