Zamalek punishes goalkeeper Mahdi Suleiman over broken promise

A serious dispute has erupted inside Zamalek, with veteran goalkeeper Mahdi Suleiman now facing an internal investigation and financial sanctions after repeatedly skipping training.

Club sources told Kooora that the keeper feels sidelined and deeply frustrated because verbal promises he received from new sporting director John Edward at the start of the season have not been honoured.

Suleiman did not travel with the squad to South Africa for the upcoming clash against Kaizer Chiefs, having been left out of the list for both technical and disciplinary reasons linked to his recent absence.

According to insiders, he joined Zamalek largely on the basis of his personal relationship with Edward, who allegedly assured him he would be “the number one goalkeeper in the team”, only for him to find himself behind Mohamed Awad and Mohamed Sobhi in the pecking order.

Feeling misled, Suleiman began missing both first-team and reserve training sessions without clear justification, which pushed the club to open a formal inquiry and dock part of his wages as a first step. Zamalek’s management is now waiting for the outcome of the investigation before deciding whether to escalate the punishment or push for a separation, especially as the coach has publicly confirmed that Awad and Sobhi are his preferred options in goal.

The situation is particularly awkward because Suleiman only joined on a free transfer in the summer after spells with ENPPI, Pyramids, Smouha, Ghazl El Mahalla and Al Ittihad, arriving as a high-profile, experienced signing expected to add depth and leadership. Instead, his exclusion from recent matchday squads has fuelled debate over whether the club really needed another keeper, or whether poor planning and personal promises – rather than genuine sporting need, drove the deal.