In Abu Dhabi, where the new season is only beginning to find its rhythm, Anderson Talisca is settling into another chapter of a career that has already crossed continents. The Brazilian forward joined Al Jazira in September after leaving Fenerbahçe and says he is growing more comfortable with both his new teammates and the UAE Pro League.
Talisca has made five appearances for Al Jazira, starting four of them, and has scored once. He believes the early weeks have offered encouraging signs as he looks to contribute through goals and assists.
“This is a fresh stage in my career and I am very happy to help Al Jazira with goals and assists,” Talisca said. “I was fortunate to score again, and I feel increasingly at ease with the league and with the squad. The matchday atmosphere is very good here and we go onto the pitch excited. The season is just getting under way, but our targets are clear and we are working hard towards them.”
A familiar region, a new club
The 32-year-old’s adjustment has extended beyond the training ground. Moving countries has brought a different culture, language and food, but his previous spell in Saudi Arabian football with Al-Nassr has helped him become accustomed to life in the Middle East.
“A transfer to a club in another country is not only about what happens on the pitch,” he said. “There is a new culture, a new society, cuisine and language; it is all part of the process. Having played in the region before makes the customs a little easier. My teammates and the coaching staff have been helping me a lot. I want to succeed at Al Jazira and that is where my focus is.”
Fenerbahçe exit followed foreign-player squeeze
Talisca had been at Fenerbahçe since January 2025, producing 44 goals in 75 matches, a return of 0.58 per game. At the start of the current campaign, he played an important part in the Turkish club’s progress towards the 2026-27 Champions League, scoring in each of the first four qualifying matches on the route to the league phase.
His departure was not his preferred outcome. The arrivals of Romelu Lukaku and Vedat Muriqi increased pressure on the club’s available foreign-player places, leaving Talisca to seek a new destination.
Al Jazira now offer him that opportunity: a new dressing room in the Emirates, a league he is still learning, and the chance to carry his recent scoring form into a season with defined ambitions in Abu Dhabi.
