Michel Bastos joins Sao Paulo

Sao Paulo: Former Brazil left-back Michel Bastos has joined Sao Paulo on an 18-month contract.

The player agreed a deal with the Paulista outfit after being released by Dubai club Al-Ain. He will be officially presented to the media Thursday, reports Xinhua. The 31-year-old will meet former AS Roma teammate Rafael Toloi, as well as Kaka and Luiz Fabiano, teammates from the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. "He knows Kaka well and they have spoken. Kaka supported his arrival. There was another team interested in his services, but Kaka`s support was influential," said Bastos` agent, Emmanuel de Kervoche. Having come through the ranks at Pelotas, in Rio Grando do Sul, Bastos has also played for Gremio, Figueirense and Atletico Paranaense in Brazil. In 2005, he moved to Lille, in France, before also representing Lyon, Schalke 04 in Germany, Al-Ain and Italian club AS Roma.