Abdullah El Said set to return to Zamalek training after meeting with president

Abdullah El Said is expected to return to Zamalek training on Saturday after holding talks with club president Hussein Labib to resolve a dispute involving criticism from the club’s media and the payment of his outstanding wages.

The 41-year-old midfielder met Labib on Wednesday, with both men presenting their views during the discussion. El Said told Zamalek that he was unhappy at what he considered to be unjustified attacks from media outlets associated with the club.

Labib responded by insisting that Zamalek’s official media had not criticised El Said, while also making clear that the player continued to be valued by everyone at the club.

The club also told El Said that his outstanding financial dues would be rescheduled and that part of the amount would be paid within days. Zamalek indicated that the arrangements would be handled in the same way as those for the rest of the squad.

A statement issued by El Said on Thursday morning had already been agreed by both sides, according to information obtained by FilGoal.com. The publication of that statement followed the meeting and formed part of the understanding reached between the player and the club.

El Said will undergo a medical examination before joining Zamalek’s training session on Saturday. His return to the squad comes after he failed to report for training following his holiday in Greece.

The player had been expected to resume work with Zamalek immediately after returning from his break, but did not take part in training as planned. The meeting with Labib has now paved the way for his return.

El Said played an important role in Zamalek’s Egyptian Premier League title success last season. He appeared in 35 matches across all competitions, scoring three goals and providing two assists.

The league triumph was the third trophy El Said had won with Zamalek. He had previously helped the club claim the Egyptian Super Cup and CAF Super Cup during the 2024-25 season.

Zamalek will begin their Egyptian Premier League campaign against Al Ittihad Alexandria on Friday, 21 August. The match will be played at Cairo International Stadium.

El Said’s return to training is therefore set to come just before the start of the new league season, after the discussions with Labib addressed both the player’s concerns over public criticism and the outstanding payments owed to him.