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Al-Ahram Weekly 8 - 14 July 1999 Issue No. 437 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 8 - 14 July 1999 Issue No. 437
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Profile Features Focus Books Travel Living Sports Time Out Chronicles People Cartoons Letters Going everywhere
By Eman Abdel-MoetiEven though the domestic football league season doesn't start until 27 August, the mad rush in player transfers is on. One of last week's biggest announcements was the signing of two Mansoura players for European teams. Mansoura Club President Ibrahim Megahed said the team's best defender, Abdel-Zaher El-Saqa, had negotiated a deal with a Turkish club in Ankara. Mansoura will get $400,000 while El-Saqa will pocket a handsome $350,000 in addition to his $9,000 monthly pay, an apartment and a car. Megahed did not say how many seasons El-Saqa would remain in Turkey.
Megahed also announced that Walid Abdel-Latif was currently talking with an unnamed Italian club interested in his services. Both Megahed and Abdel-Latif are flying to Italy next week to resume the negotiations. Before leaving, Megahed said Mansoura have initially agreed to receive $700,000 while $500,000 would go to Abdel-Latif, not including his $15,000 a month and the ubiquitous apartment and car.
The news about both players going to Europe came as a shocker to Zamalek which had until recently been negotiating for the two for $2.5 million. Word has it that Mansoura turned down the offer when Zamalek stepped back and tried to decrease the amount.
Mansoura's latest recruits, Mohamed El-Mahali and Mohamed Mahmoud, are from the second division side Eastern Company. Each has joined the club for three years, with Mansoura shelling out LE35,000 for El-Mahali and LE50,000 for Mahmoud. The club has no shortage of goalkeepers. It has four with the acquisition of Baladiyet Mehalla's Atef Khidr.
"We are a complete team and ready to go full-steam ahead," Mansoura official Sameh Wahba said. "We expect to do well this season, much better than last year." Mansoura will lose Sherif Ghazala and Abdel-Moneim Mas'oud to Ismaili for LE40,000 and LE90,000 respectively.
Claiming it won a jewel in its crown, Zamalek plucked journeyman Haitham Farouk, one of the early Egyptian pioneers to blaze a trail to Europe. Since 1996, Farouk has played in four European clubs, starting off with Excelsior in Rotterdam, then onto another Dutch club before moving to Sweden with his Dutch wife, and then one more stopover in Belgium. His achievements abroad include a fourth-place finish and the cup for his Swedish side.
At a press conference last week, Farouk said he wanted to raise his son in Egypt, explaining why he returned home. "Some may think it's odd that I am moving back to Egypt at a time when other players are going to Europe," Farouk told reporters. "But I think the best place a professional can celebrate his success and have fans to share it with is home." Farouk and Zamalek officials refused to divulge information concerning the financial aspects of the deal.
Former Zamalek defender Ashraf Kassem is planning to come out of a two-year retirement and return to his former club. Kassem signed a two-year contract with the team and said he hoped to lead Zamalek back to the top of the league standings where it has not been seen for the past six years. Kassem and former Zamalek Dutch coach Ruud Krol had not seen eye to eye, but new Zamalek coach Mahmoud Abu Regeila has welcomed the veteran defender with open arms.
Misri of Port Said have announced an all-Egyptian side following years of depending on African players. Club President Abdel-Wahab Kouta said the team will not be recruiting any players from the continent this season. Reports said Misri had been scouting big-name African players, including former Ahli striker Ahmed Felix, star Nigerian forward Rashidi Yakini and former African footballer of the year Abidi Pele.
