Nader El-Sayed says he will defend ‘legitimate rights’ in Zamalek payment dispute

Nader El-Sayed, the former Egypt goalkeeper, says he will defend his “legitimate” rights in the dispute over Benjamin Acheampong’s outstanding payments from Zamalek.

El-Sayed acted as a mediator in 2021 as Zamalek sought to resolve its financial disagreement with Acheampong. The player rejected the proposed amicable arrangements at the time and later received the money owed to him after filing an official complaint with world football governing body Fifa.

Speaking on Al Nahar TV, El-Sayed said the issue required further explanation but acknowledged the level of public interest surrounding it.

“The matter needs more time to be explained, but I understand the great interest because it depends on the position of the person concerned,” he said. “There is certainly a great deal of confusion, but the issue is much simpler than that.”

El-Sayed also rejected any suggestion that he needed to justify his position, pointing to his long career in football.

“I do not need to prove or discuss my position. I have worked in football for more than 30 years, and throughout my life I have never accepted, and will never accept, anything that is not my right. This is an important point,” he said.

He added that his decision to seek an agreement to end the dispute should not be interpreted as an admission of wrongdoing or as giving up a valid claim.

“My choice to end the dispute is not an admission of a mistake I did not commit, nor is it a waiver of my right,” El-Sayed said. “It is respect for other people’s rights. If those rights belong to the state, I will not discuss further details.”

He concluded: “What I want to make clear is that my rights exist and are legitimate, and I will defend them through the law and the contracts.”

FilGoal.com reports that El-Sayed returned $100,000 to Zamalek in order to obtain a clearance certificate after he was investigated by the Public Funds Prosecution over the Acheampong payments dispute.