Al Masry close to signing Kahraba Ismailia striker Ali Soliman

Al Masry are close to completing the signing of Eritrean forward Ali Soliman from Kahraba Ismailia after the two clubs reached an agreement over the transfer.

The deal has been agreed in principle, with only the signing of the contracts and the completion of the remaining formalities still required before the move can be finalised.

Soliman is set to join Al Masry after an impressive individual campaign with Kahraba Ismailia. The striker scored 12 goals last season, finishing second in the Egyptian league’s goalscoring standings.

He ended the campaign just one goal behind top scorer Ahmed Yasser Rayan, underlining his importance to a Kahraba Ismailia side that ultimately suffered relegation.

Kahraba Ismailia finished 11th with 32 points and will play in the Egyptian Professional League next season. Despite Soliman’s goals, the club were unable to avoid dropping out of the top flight.

For Al Masry, the proposed signing comes after a season in which they finished fifth in the league table. The club are now preparing for the new Egyptian Premier League campaign, with their opening fixture scheduled against Smouha.

That match will take place at New Suez Stadium during the first round of the competition.

The agreement between Al Masry and Kahraba Ismailia represents the latest step towards Soliman’s move, although the transfer is not yet complete. The final paperwork and contractual procedures must be concluded before the Eritrean player officially becomes an Al Masry footballer.

Soliman’s 12-goal return was enough to place him among the leading scorers in last season’s Egyptian league, with only Ahmed Yasser Rayan finishing ahead of him. His performances have now earned him the opportunity to continue his career with a club that ended the previous campaign in fifth place.

Al Masry will begin the new league season against Smouha at New Suez Stadium, while Kahraba Ismailia prepare for life in the Professional League following their relegation.