Samuel Gandi, the Politehnica Moldova forward and Sierra Leone international, has emerged as one of the most sought-after players in Egyptian football this winter.
Reports indicate that both Al Ahly and Pyramids are actively exploring options to sign the talented forward before the local registration window closes next Sunday, intensifying speculation over his next destination.
Al Ahly have already been active in the transfer market, adding six new players to strengthen their squad. The signings include centre-back duo Amr Elgazar from Bank Al Ahly and Hady Ryade from Petrojet, Moroccan defender Youssef Belammari from Raja Casablanca, Ahmed Eid from Al Masry, Norwegian midfielder Elite Kampusch from Tromsø, and Marwan Osman from Ceramica Cleopatra.
These additions are aimed at reinforcing key areas ahead of the club’s CAF Champions League commitments.
Pyramids have also made strategic acquisitions, including ZESCO striker Pascal Ferry, Jordanian winger Odeh Al-Fakhouri, Palestinian forward Hamed Hamdan from Petrojet, and Nasser Maher from Zamalek.
Ferry and Al-Fakhouri are set to be registered as underage players, reflecting the club’s long-term planning approach.
According to a club source, Al Ahly were the first to identify Gandi and have monitored him closely over the past two weeks.
“The club contacted the player and his agent and made an offer for a six-month loan with the intention of a permanent deal,” the source revealed.
The same source explained that Gandi’s agent reached out to intermediaries with connections in Egypt to gauge interest, eventually informing Pyramids through brokers to inflate his value. “Pyramids have not entered formal negotiations yet. Only initial inquiries have been made,” the source added.
Al Ahly ultimately paused talks in the final hours due to the high financial demands from the agent and the club, particularly since Gandi was not their top transfer target.
The Red Devils are now preparing to fly to Algeria tomorrow on a private plane ahead of their Group B CAF Champions League match against JS Kabylie on Saturday, the fifth round of the competition.
Meanwhile, the race for Gandi continues, with both Egyptian giants monitoring developments closely as they seek to bolster their squads before the registration deadline.
