Zamalek reject Ahly Benghazi offer for Ahmed Fattouh, says Ahmed Soliman

Zamalek board member Ahmed Soliman says the club turned down an offer from Libya’s Ahly Benghazi for Ahmed Fattouh because they want to keep the defender until the end of his contract.

Fattouh’s current deal expires at the end of the season, after which he will be able to sign for another club on a free transfer from January.

Soliman said Zamalek were unwilling to sell the player for $900,000 while targeting qualification for the CAF Champions League, which he believes could generate up to $20m.

“Fattouh received many offers,” Soliman told MBC Masr. “How can I sell him for $900,000 when I am aiming to participate in the Champions League, which could earn me $20m?”

He also questioned why the player’s agent had spoken publicly about the approaches instead of contacting Zamalek’s board.

“Why did Fattouh’s agent go to the media to talk about the offers and not speak to the board of directors?” he said.

Soliman also criticised the handling of Zizo’s contract negotiations, saying that 11 or 12 people had been involved in talks to extend the forward’s stay at Zamalek.

“There were 11-12 people negotiating with Zizo to renew his contract with Zamalek, and that was an administrative mistake,” he said.

Sporting director appointment

Soliman said Zamalek’s board had not presented him with a proposal to appoint Hossam El-Zenaty as sporting director.

“El-Zenaty has only previously held the position of head of the competitions committee,” he said.

He added that the board had not yet held a meeting to discuss the candidates for the vacant sporting director role.

El-Zenaty, who previously worked as assistant sporting director at Danish club FC Nordsjælland, has held talks with former Zamalek sporting director John Edward.

The meeting was intended to give El-Zenaty information about the squad and the club before a final decision was made on whether he would succeed Edward.

El-Zenaty was also given details of Zamalek’s finances and the contracts of its players during the meeting.

It was not his first meeting with figures at the club. He had previously held discussions with Abdel Nasser Mohamed, Zamalek’s director of football, as well as with members of the club’s board.

Edward left his position as Zamalek’s sporting director after one season. During his time at the club, Zamalek won the league title.