HIBS manager Mixu Paatelainen insists United Arab Emirates-bound Merouane Zemmama will return to Easter Road as soon as his proposed season-long loan with Al-Shaab ends.
The Moroccan international, whose contract expires in summer 2011, is being allowed to move to the oil-rich state on compassionate grounds so he can be joined by wife Zineb who is expecting the couple's first child.
The 24-year-old married Zineb,
17, earlier this summer but she has been refused entry to Britain under Home Office legislation which states a permit cannot be issued to anyone under 18 years of age.
Both Paatelainen and the club are sympathetic to Zemmama's plight to the extent they have allowed the player to enter talks with Al-Shaab over a loan deal which would allow him to be joined by his wife in the UAE.
Paatelainen, who signed Derek Riordan and Sol Bamba on Monday, said: "Zemmama still has three years left on his contract but, because of these family reasons, we are allowing him to move on loan.
"We want to support the players off the field and these circumstances are clearly quite difficult for him.
"It's a chance for Zemmama to see his family and hopefully his family will come to Edinburgh after. I would rather have kept him here because he is a big player for us and a good footballer."
Zemmama joined Hibs in August 2006 from Raja Casablanca and has become a firm fans' favourites. He has not featured this season as he is still recovering from a broken foot.
The full article contains 267 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
