UAE Second Division side Arabian Falcons FC have made a statement signing ahead of the 2026/27 campaign, securing the addition of Premier League winner Danny Simpson as a player-coach.
The 39-year-old right-back has come out of retirement to join the Dubai-based club, where he will balance on-pitch duties with a role in the backroom staff of manager Jonjo Shelvey.
Simpson brings vast experience to the Falcons, most notably from his pivotal role in Leicester City’s historic 5,000/1 title-winning season in 2016, alongside promotions with Newcastle United, Sunderland, and QPR.
Jonjo Shelvey is getting the band back together
"The opportunity to join Jonjo and this exciting project was one I couldn’t turn down," Simpson said. "I still have plenty to offer on the pitch.
"The club has a clear plan, and I want to play my part in delivering a successful promotion-winning campaign," he said.
The signing reunites Simpson with a formidable contingent of former English top-flight stars. Manager Jonjo Shelvey, who earned six caps for England during a career spanning spells at Swansea City, Liverpool and Newcastle, took the managerial reins for the final five games of last season.
After narrowly missing out on promotion, Shelvey is preparing for his first full year in the dugout.
"Danny is the ideal signing—a Premier League champion with vast experience, leadership, and a winning mentality," Shelvey stated. "This is the start of us building a team I firmly believe can win promotion this season."
Further strengthening the club's leadership, the Falcons also confirmed a one-year contract extension for club captain Ravel Morrison. The former Manchester United prodigy will anchor the midfield alongside the guidance of co-owner and head of football operations Jason Puncheon.
"This signing sends a strong message about our ambition," Puncheon said, reiterating the club's short-term goal of reaching the UAE First Division.
Beyond first-team ambitions, the club has launched the Arabian Falcons Academy. Led by the experienced quartet of Shelvey, Simpson, Morrison, and Puncheon, the academy will establish a development pathway for youth prospects across the UAE.
The Falcons' journey will be captured in an upcoming behind-the-scenes documentary tracking the team throughout the 2026/27 season.
