Jai Verma keen to bridge the Gulf in Dubai

Jai Verma, who played his junior football with Park Village, has been scouted by Al Shabab Al Arabi.

They play in the United Arab Emirates Arabian Gulf League – the top football league in the country. Verma, 23, said: "It felt amazing when I found out.

"It is incredible to just be asked to go on trial and be given the chance to play for a team abroad – but for it to be Dubai, the world's up-and-coming city, is just fantastic.

"I never expected it to happen at all, or to be called up or to be asked to come and play in Dubai.

"I was playing a non-league match for Forest Cavaliers and I presume that there must have been an international scout there.

"From then I was pulled into a meeting and told that a team in Dubai wanted me to come and do a trial for them.

"Now I am just having health checks done so that we can get everything finalised before I head out there later this month.

"I will be flying over for a trial session and they will see what my skills are like and then be able to make the decision as to whether or not they want me in the team."

Verma, who is originally from Park Village on Cannock Road, has been playing non-league football for the past six years.

Alongside studying sports science at university in Nottingham, he has played for teams including West Bridgford Colts, Arnold Town, Radford and Forest Cavaliers.

With the trial fast approaching, the left winger has been concentrating hard on his training schedule.

He added: "My family are over the moon, they have been so supportive of me and wishing me all the best.

"For me right now I am just focusing on training. I normally train around three days a week and now I am upping it to around five to six days a week.

"I will be doing a lot more training, keeping myself as fit as I can. For me this is not an opportunity that can't be taken for granted or missed."

If Verma's trial is successful he would be the first United Kingdom player to join a squad in the Arabian Gulf League.