Zamalek reject Ahly Benghazi approach for Ahmed Fattouh

Zamalek have no intention of selling Ahmed Fattouh, even on loan, despite receiving a formal offer from Libyan club Ahly Benghazi, according to the club’s media director Maher Gharib.

Fattouh’s agent, Samir Salah, had revealed that Ahly Benghazi had made a fresh approach for the 28-year-old defender.

Gharib said on Modern channel: “Zamalek received an official offer from Ahly Benghazi for Fattouh on 26 September. The club was formally informed that there would be no sale of Fattouh, and there is no intention of letting him leave, even on loan.”

Fattouh remains under contract with Zamalek until the end of the current season. He will be able to sign a pre-contract with another club for free from January, but Gharib said the player remained an important member of the squad and one of its leaders.

“Fattouh has the right to sign for any club in January, but he is still a Zamalek player and one of the team’s leaders,” Gharib said.

“We are waiting for the right time to open discussions about renewing his contract, whether with him or with his team-mates whose contracts expire at the end of the season.”

Gharib also disclosed that Zamalek had turned down a previous proposal from a Turkish club before the start of the season.

“Fattouh received an offer from a Turkish club before the beginning of the season, and it was worth more than the current offer, but that was also rejected,” he said.

Reports have suggested that Fattouh is attempting to force a move away from Zamalek, but Gharib dismissed those claims.

“What is being said about Fattouh putting pressure on the club to leave is not true,” he said. “The player is certainly focused on his national duty with the Egypt national team.”

Gharib added: “There is no intention to sell Fattouh. Any talk about that is completely meaningless.”

The Zamalek media director also rejected claims about how the club had used money from the sale of Juan Bezera.

“All the money from the first instalment of Juan Bezera’s sale was allocated to the football team and the club’s other sports,” he said.

“It was not spent on supporters or members of the board of directors who paid money to the club to resolve the licensing issue.”

Fattouh has played his most recent matches for Zamalek in midfield, with Moroccan player Mahmoud Bentayg operating at left-back.

He has made 212 appearances for Zamalek, scoring seven goals and providing 22 assists. During his time with the club, he has won eight trophies: three Egyptian League titles, three Egyptian Super Cups and two Confederation Cups.