The Dubai sun is warming the penthouse rooftop of the Five Palm Jumeirah hotel as Guss Saade leans forward on his sofa by the pool. He’s discussing an encounter with one of the only footballers he has been able to recognise in all his years of organising water sports in the emirate.



Saade has agreements to run his business, SeaWake, out of a number of exclusive resorts in Dubai, including the Four Seasons and the Ritz Carlton, and not so long ago Luis Suarez signed up for a session on his jet skis.



“The one with the teeth,” he says, laughing. “He was all booked in, but then we got word late on he had to cancel. It turns out his contract had a clause prohibiting him from using them.”



Newcastle’s Allan Saint-Maximin and Brandon Williams, the Manchester United full-back, are among those who have ridden jet skis in Dubai during the inaugural Premier League winter break, but Saade is stumped if he has to name others he has...