Ismaily announced on Wednesday that they had accepted an offer from Italian Serie A side Fiorentina to sign central defender Ahmed Hegazy next season for 1.5 million euros.

The coastal club made a similar announcement last December, but the move was on the verge of falling through due to differences over whether Fiorentina would pay the amount in cash or instalments.

Ismaily also said last month that they expected an offer from an unnamed English Premier League team to acquire the services of the highly-rated defender.

"Hegazy will join Fiorentina for 1.5 million euros. Fiorentina will pay 50 per cent of that amount right after we finalise the deal and the rest of the money will be paid on 1 July," Ismaily said in a statement on their official website.

The transfer could ease some of the worries of the cash-strapped club, who were infuriated after several players departed following the suspension of Egyptian Premier League activity in the wake of the 1 February Port Said disaster.

Hegazy rose to prominence after a series of impressive displays with Egypt’s junior sides last year.

He was specifically lauded for his solid defence in Egypt’s U-20 World Cup campaign in Colombia, where they were knocked out at the hands of Argentina in the last-16 stage.

He also played a pivotal role in helping Egypt qualify for the Olympic Games in London after they finished third at the U-23 African Championship in Morocco.

The 21-year-old made his senior team debut in Egypt’s 2-0 defeat by five-time world champions Brazil in a friendly game in Qatari capital Doha last November.

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