Al Ahly reject Al-Shabab bid for Egypt defender Yasser Ibrahim

Al Ahly have rejected an official offer from Saudi Arabian side Al-Shabab for defender Yasser Ibrahim, according to a report in Saudi newspaper Okaz.

The Egyptian club are understood to have told Al-Shabab they want to keep Ibrahim, who is regarded as one of the key members of their squad.

Al-Shabab had contacted the 33-year-old to ask about his interest in moving to the club next season. Al Ahly had been waiting for a formal proposal before deciding how to respond to the approach.

Okaz reported that the Saudi club’s offer would have given Ibrahim an annual salary of $1.6m. However, Al Ahly have maintained their position that the player is not available for transfer.

The club’s stance comes as the technical staff, led by Houcine Ammouta, look to preserve the main core of the team. Ibrahim remains part of those plans despite the interest from Saudi Arabia.

FilGoal.com also reported that Al Ahly have offered Ibrahim a new two-year contract. Under the proposed agreement, he would earn 25m Egyptian pounds per season.

Ibrahim joined Al Ahly at the start of 2019 after moving from Smouha. Since then, he has made 236 appearances for the club, scoring 12 goals and providing three assists.

The centre-back has also represented Egypt at international level.

Al Ahly’s decision comes as clubs in Egypt prepare for the next domestic campaign. The draw for the Egyptian Premier League is due to take place on Wednesday at 15:00 local time, with the ceremony scheduled for two days after the report was published.

For now, Al Ahly’s response indicates that Ibrahim remains part of their plans for the coming season, while Al-Shabab’s proposed move has been rejected.