Kouame Autonne Kouadio: UAE-Ivorian defender joins United FC on loan from Al-Ain

United FC have signed United Arab Emirates and Ivory Coast defender Kouame Autonne Kouadio on loan from Al-Ain for the 2026-27 season. The 25-year-old centre-back has agreed a deal running until 30 June 2027 as he swaps the UAE champions for their Pro League rivals.

Kouadio, a left-footed central defender standing at 1.88m, moves after a highly decorated spell with Al-Ain, where he won the AFC Champions League in 2023-24 and two UAE Pro League titles, most recently in 2025-26. He is scheduled to return to Al-Ain at the end of his loan, with the agreement set to expire in June 2028.

Born in Ouragahio, Kouadio has built a substantial body of work in Emirati football, making more than 120 league appearances and featuring regularly in domestic and continental cup competitions. His experience includes matches in the AFC Champions League, the UAE President’s Cup, the UAE League Cup and the Club World Cup.

Kouadio originally arrived in the UAE in 2019, moving from Mimosas U19 to Khor Fakkan before earning a switch to Al-Ain in 2021. Since then he has added the UAE League Cup and President’s Cup to his honours, underlining his involvement in one of the most successful periods in Al-Ain’s recent history.

United FC, who compete alongside Al-Ain in the UAE Pro League, have taken Kouadio on a temporary basis as they strengthen the heart of their defence with a player valued at €1.8m. The move confirms Kouadio will spend the upcoming campaign with United FC before returning to his parent club.