Hossam El Zanaty emerges as leading candidate for Zamalek sporting director role

Hossam El Zanaty is the leading candidate to become Zamalek’s new sporting director, with the club having reached full agreement on the main aspects of the appointment, according to the club’s media department director Maher Gharib.

No date has yet been fixed for the official announcement, although El Zanaty is understood to be close to taking up the position.

“Hossam El Zanaty is the closest candidate to becoming Zamalek’s sporting director,” Gharib said on Modern channel. “There is complete agreement on all aspects, but so far there is no specific date for the official announcement.”

El Zanaty attended Zamalek’s friendly match against ENPPI during the international break. The game, played against El Sharqia, ended in a 2-1 victory for ENPPI.

The possible appointment comes while Zamalek are serving a registration ban. However, Gharib said the club’s board believes the sporting director structure remains necessary and should continue despite the restriction.

“The experience of having a sporting director produced good results last season,” he said. “The Zamalek board believes the experience must continue regardless of the registration ban, because it is a necessary and required solution.”

Gharib also stressed that the club’s decision was not connected to any particular individual.

“The sporting director experience is not linked to specific people,” he added. “Since John Edward left, Zamalek have been looking for a new sporting director who is suitable for the current phase.”

El Zanaty holds talks with former sporting director

El Zanaty previously worked as assistant sporting director at Danish club Nordsjaelland. He has held a meeting with John Edward, who was Zamalek’s former sporting director, as the club considers appointing his successor.

The meeting was intended to give El Zanaty detailed information about the squad before a final decision was made on whether he would replace Edward. Discussions also covered the club’s financial affairs and the players’ contracts.

It was not El Zanaty’s first meeting with people at Zamalek. He had previously held talks with Abdel Nasser Mohamed, the club’s football director, as well as members of the Zamalek administration.

El Zanaty is now considered close to securing the role, although the final agreement on when he would begin work has not been completed. The most likely timeframe for his start is within two weeks.

Edward left his position after only one season in charge of Zamalek’s sporting operations. During that campaign, the club won the league title.