In an official statement, Ismaily clarified that El-Mohamady willingly gave up a significant portion of his dues to facilitate the move to Masry. The club also confirmed that they had received a sum of EGP 20 million (nearly $650,000) as compensation for the transfer.

Earlier reports had suggested that Masry had reached an agreement to sign El-Mohamady on a three-season contract, although specific details of the deal have yet to be disclosed.

The 27-year-old defender expressed his gratitude to Ismaily fans through a message posted on Facebook.

"Goodbye to my beloved fans of the Dervishes; my fans have been my first supporter since my first appearance until now," he wrote.

Throughout the 2022/2023 season, El-Mohamady, who also represented the Egyptian national team, made 30 appearances across various competitions for Ismaily, managing to score two goals in the process.

El-Mohamady first joined Ismaily's senior team in 2015 but was subsequently loaned out to Zamalek for a season, but did not feature in any matches for the White Knights.

Ismaily, facing financial difficulties, have been compelled to sell their top players in recent years, resulting in a decline in their league standings. The departure of El-Mohamady marks another setback for the cash-strapped coastal club as they seek to navigate their financial challenges while remaining competitive in Egyptian football.

(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)