Ahly's football director Sayed Abdel-Hafiz heaped praise on Ahmed Hamoudi's abilities, stressing that a possible move to the  club depends on the request of the team's new coach, who is still "undecided" on the player's fate.

The 26-year-old is a free agent now that Swiss side Basel have decided to terminate his contract with the club by mutual consent on Wednesday.

''Hamoudi is a very good player, but we are waiting for the coach's decision to open talks with the player," Abdel-Hafiz told a TV programme on Thursday.

"The coach is reluctant regarding the player's fate and there are no negotiations with the player until we receive the green light from (coach) El-Badri."

Ahly have registered 29 players in their squad for the new season, and they have the right to sign only one player before finalising their squad.

"We have only one place remaining on the team's squad so we have to discuss well the needs of the team before defining the name of the new signing."

Hamoudi, who joined Basel in the summer of 2014 after producing many fine displays with Smouha, spent the last season on loan with Zamalek, but he failed to establish himself with the Cairo giants.

Zamalek opened talks with the player during the past few days to re-sign him, but club president Mortada Mansour revealed on Thursday that Zamalek are not interested in Hamoudi.  

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