Egyptian football club Zamalek has reportedly reached an agreement with Belgian coach Carl Hoefkens to helm the team during the current season, according to Belgian outlet Le Soir.
The Zamalek management has finalized the deal with the 45-year-old Belgian tactician, and the formal signing of the contract is expected to take place for a season and a half, marking a pivotal moment for the club.
Hoefkens, who recently had an assignment with Standard Liege in the Belgian football scene, is set to join Zamalek accompanied by an assistant coach and a fitness planner.
Notably, he expressed his desire to bring in a goalkeeping coach, but there has been no conclusive agreement with Zamalek on this matter.
The Belgian coach’s most notable coaching success came with Club Brugge, where he secured the Belgian Pro League and Super Cup titles.
His tenure saw Club Brugge reaching the Round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League for the first time in its history.
Hoefkens, who once played alongside Ahmed Samir Farag and Hossam Ghaly at Lierse, also trained with Ahmed Sayed “Zizo,” who is currently a player at Zamalek.
However, he did not feature in any matches with Zizo as the latter moved to Portugal during that period.
Currently, Moe’tamad Gamal holds the reins as the interim coach for Zamalek, succeeding Juan Carlos Osorio, who departed early in the season due to unsatisfactory results.
As Zamalek gears up for the second half of the season, the team is participating in the International Unity Championship in the United Arab Emirates as part of their preparations.
Hoefkens’ appointment is anticipated to bring a fresh perspective and strategy to elevate Zamalek’s performance in the domestic and international competitions.
