Al Ahly sign Mahmoud Salah on five-year deal as teenager targets every trophy

Al Ahly have completed the signing of 18-year-old Mahmoud Salah from Ghazl El Mahalla on a five-year contract, with the forward describing the move as a major ambition for both himself and his family.

The Egyptian club announced the agreement on their official website, where Salah said he was delighted to join what he called “the best club in Africa”.

“I am very happy to join Al Ahly, the best club in Africa,” he said.

“The move to Al Ahly represents a great ambition for me and my family, and, God willing, I will be able to do a lot for Al Ahly.”

The deal is understood to involve an initial fee of 35m Egyptian pounds, paid in two instalments, with a further 10m pounds available in add-ons. Ghazl El Mahalla will also receive 25% of any future sale of the player.

Salah will personally give up 2m Egyptian pounds in outstanding payments owed to him by Ghazl El Mahalla as part of the transfer agreement.

Nader Khalil, the Ghazl El Mahalla sporting adviser, helped mediate the negotiations and worked to bring the two clubs closer together. A source at Ghazl El Mahalla had previously told FilGoal.com that the clubs were nearing an agreement over the financial terms.

Salah said his family followed the negotiations closely after learning that Al Ahly were interested in signing him.

“When I heard that Al Ahly were interested in negotiating with me, I was very happy,” he said. “My brother was handling the negotiations, and I was always following the developments with him. My father was following Facebook to find out the latest updates and what had happened in the negotiations.”

The teenager is aware that earning regular playing time at Al Ahly will be difficult, particularly because he will be competing with players he had previously watched and admired.

“The competition will certainly be difficult, especially because I will be competing with players I always watched and hoped to play alongside,” Salah said. “Now I am competing with them for playing time and appearances. The competition will definitely be difficult, but I hope I can live up to expectations.”

He also spoke about his feelings at the prospect of visiting Al Ahly’s historic El Tetsh training ground for the first time.

“On my first day at El Tetsh, I will be very happy, and I will not believe that I am at such a historic stadium and at a prestigious club of Al Ahly’s size,” he said.

Salah was left out of Ghazl El Mahalla’s friendly against Sporting as preparations were made for his move. Ghazl El Mahalla won that match 6-0 as they continued their build-up to the new season.

Al Ahly have also begun their preparations with a friendly victory in their training camp in Spain, beating Spanish side Badalona 3-0.

Their next fixture is against Barcelona on Wednesday, 19 August, in the Joan Gamper Trophy at Camp Nou. Al Ahly will then begin their Egyptian Premier League campaign against Eastern Company Enppi on Sunday, 23 August.

Salah made 28 appearances for Ghazl El Mahalla last season, scoring four goals and providing three assists.

He is also with the Egypt under-20 squad, managed by Wael Reyad, which is preparing for the North Africa qualifiers for the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations.

Salah told Al Ahly supporters that he intends to approach every competition with the same determination.

“God willing, I will live up to your expectations, produce something special and help the team on the pitch,” he said. “We will fight for everything, and in every competition we enter, we will play every match as if it were a final.”