Al Ahly reject summer player departures as contract talks continue

Al Ahly refused to allow any of their players to leave during the summer transfer window, with the club’s management deciding that no departures should take place after a season without trophies, according to director of contracts Essam Serag.

Speaking on Al Ahly’s television channel, Serag said the club had rejected opportunities for players to pursue professional moves abroad because of the team’s current situation and the importance of retaining the squad.

“The management decided that no player should leave because we did not win any trophies last season, so it was difficult to allow any player to depart,” Serag said.

His comments explain why Al Ahly did not sanction the departure of players during the transfer window, despite interest in members of the first-team squad. The club instead focused on keeping its players and continuing negotiations over contract extensions.

Serag said Al Ahly had adopted a specific approach to renewal talks, with the timing and structure of each negotiation determined by the length of the player’s existing agreement.

“We had a specific arrangement for the contract-renewal negotiations, based on the remaining duration of each player’s contract,” he said.

One player who has already agreed a new deal is midfielder Marwan Attia. Serag said the player had asked to extend his contract, and that the process was completed immediately.

“His contract runs for another three seasons. He asked me to renew the contract, then we went to the office and he renewed immediately,” Serag said.

Al Ahly have also made financially suitable offers to goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir, defender Mohamed Hany and centre-back Yasser Ibrahim. Serag did not reveal the details of those proposals, but said the club was waiting to see how the discussions develop.

“We made financially appropriate offers to Mostafa Shobeir, Mohamed Hany and Yasser Ibrahim, and we will see what happens,” he said.

The comments indicate that negotiations with the three players remain ongoing, while Marwan Attia’s renewal has already been completed. Al Ahly’s position is that keeping the current group together is a priority after the club ended the previous campaign without winning a trophy.

The club are now preparing to face Smouha on Thursday in the third round of the Egyptian Premier League. Al Ahly won their opening two league matches against ENPPI and ZED, according to the report, and will be seeking to maintain that start against Smouha.

Serag’s remarks come as Al Ahly continue to balance immediate squad requirements with longer-term contract planning. The club’s negotiations have been organised according to the time remaining on individual agreements, while the decision to block departures has ensured that the team enters the new league campaign with its players retained.