Zamalek's Firm Stance on Ahmed Fattouh Amid Saudi Rumors
The Saudi Pro League has been circling, the rumours have been flying, but inside Zamalek the message on Ahmed Fattouh could not be clearer: he is not for sale.
Reports in the Saudi press recently pushed Al-Fateh as a potential destination for the Egypt international, whose form at the World Cup turned heads well beyond Cairo. A move to the Gulf, big money, a new chapter – the narrative wrote itself.
Ahmed Shobier tore it up.
Speaking on his radio programme, the former Egypt goalkeeper dismissed the Al-Fateh talk as nothing more than journalistic noise, insisting Zamalek have no intention of cashing in on their left-back this summer.
“One of the Saudi newspapers said that Al-Fateh is interested in signing Ahmed Fattouh,” Shobier explained, acknowledging the source of the speculation before underlining why it gathered pace. Fattouh, he said, “delivered a wonderful performance at the World Cup, and overall he is one of the wonderful players.”
That tournament showing inevitably raised his profile. It also strengthened Zamalek’s resolve.
Shobier stressed that Fattouh’s displays with Egypt only increased his technical value to the club. Rather than opening the door to a sale, it has pushed it shut. For the current hierarchy and technical staff, this is not a player you let walk out of Cairo International Stadium on the back of a standout World Cup.
Options in His Position
Zamalek are not short of options in his position. Mahmoud Bentayeg is available. Echo has renewed his contract and remains in the frame. Ahmed Khodary, who featured last season and proved he can handle the shirt, is another alternative on the left.
The depth is there. Yet the equation is not that simple.
Fattouh has become more than just a left-back for head coach Moatamed Gamal. In recent months, Gamal has leaned on him in multiple roles, trusting his intelligence and versatility across the pitch. That tactical flexibility has made him a cornerstone of the current project, not a dispensable asset.
So when the rumours grew louder, the response inside the club hardened.
Shobier rounded off his comments with a line that leaves little room for debate: “Everything being circulated about Ahmed Fattouh is merely journalistic speculation, and I am one million per cent confident that it is impossible for Zamalek to let Fattouh go. This is a settled matter.”
No negotiation. No hint of a compromise. For now, the door is locked.
While the gossip columns chase the next Saudi link, Zamalek’s focus stays on the training pitch. The team continues its pre-season camp, sharpening up through a series of friendlies as they count down to their league opener against Al-Ittihad Al-Sakandary on 21 August at Cairo International Stadium.
Unless something dramatic changes, Fattouh will be there – in white, not in Saudi colours – when that first whistle blows.
