Al Ahly poised to add Mahmoud Salah as summer recruitment drive gathers pace

Al Ahly are close to completing the signing of Mahmoud Salah, with former Egypt goalkeeper and broadcaster Ahmed Shobeir saying the deal is 99.99% finalised.

The Cairo club have already completed four transfers during the current summer window and are now nearing a fifth addition. Their previous arrivals are Aqtay Abdullah, Ali Mahmoud from ENPPI, and the two foreign players Monsef Bekrar and Sufyan Benjedida.

Speaking on On Sport FM, Shobeir said the proposed move for Mahmoud Salah was virtually complete.

“Mahmoud Salah’s deal is almost finished, at 99.9%, in favour of Al Ahly,” he said.

Shobeir added that Al Ahly would not meet the 50m Egyptian pounds fee initially requested by Ghazl El Mahalla. However, the clubs have reached an understanding under which Ghazl El Mahalla will waive part of its financial demands, allowing negotiations to move towards completion.

The expected arrival of Salah comes as Al Ahly continue to strengthen their squad in the transfer market. The club’s activity has already included four completed deals, with the agreement for the Ghazl El Mahalla player potentially taking their total number of summer signings to five.

Shobeir discusses Imam Ashour future

Shobeir also addressed the possibility of Imam Ashour leaving Egypt to pursue a professional move abroad. The Al Ahly midfielder has attracted attention after a strong spell of form, including an outstanding display at the World Cup.

He said Ashour was currently enjoying the best period of his career but stressed that the player could only concentrate on performing and training while any potential transfer remained outside his control.

“Imam Ashour is undoubtedly living through the best period of his football career, and he performed exceptionally at the World Cup,” Shobeir said. “The player has no control over anything except playing and training. A move abroad is a provision from God.”

Shobeir also rejected the idea that Al Ahly’s refusal to approve a transfer would amount to opposition to Ashour’s ambitions.

“Just because Al Ahly said no to you going abroad does not mean the club is standing against you,” he added. “There are players who moved abroad and things did not work out for them as required. Not everyone is Mohamed Salah.”

Al Ahly set firm stance on five players

Shobeir further revealed that Al Ahly do not intend to allow any of five first-team players to leave during the current transfer window unless an offer is considered impossible to reject.

The group includes Imam Ashour, goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir, defender Yasser Ibrahim, right-back Mohamed Hany and midfielder Marwan Attia. Some of those players have been linked with possible moves away from the club this summer.

“Al Ahly will not let any player from the five leave unless the financial compensation is impossible to refuse,” Shobeir said. “I know of one player for whom I would ask for 30m dollars. Al Ahly’s position is clear, and the club will not allow any player to leave this season.”

The comments underline Al Ahly’s intention to retain their key players while continuing to add to the squad. With the Mahmoud Salah agreement reportedly at an advanced stage, the club are now close to completing another piece of their summer recruitment plans.